Effects of semi-upright swings on vital signs in NICU infants.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the impact of a semi-upright swing with a standard crib on vital signs in infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). METHODS: We performed a within-subjects' comparison of vital signs of NICU infants corrected to ≥34 weeks of gestation and placed in the supine position versus the semi-upright position in a swing. The primary outcome was the mean oxygen saturation, and the secondary outcomes were the mean heart rate, the proportion of time with oxygen saturation (SpO2) <90%, and respiratory rate. RESULTS: Of the 65 infants, 34 (57%) were male and 32 (50%) were black. The mean ± SD gestational age at birth was 32.4 ± 5.1 weeks. In all, 40% were on noninvasive respiratory support. There were no significant differences in oxygen saturation, heart rate, time with oxygen desaturation defined by SpO2 < 90%, or respiratory rate between the supine and semi-upright positions. A higher risk of desaturations was observed in infants without respiratory support (RR, 1.24, 95% CI, 1.15-1.33) and low-birth-weight infants (RR, 1.55, 95% CI, 1.42-1.69). CONCLUSIONS: The placement of infants in a semi-upright swing resulted in no discernible differences in averaged vital signs compared to the supine position in NICU infants. IMPACT: We identified no significant differences in averaged oxygen saturation, heart rate, or respiratory rate among NICU infants placed in a semi-upright swing compared to the supine position. Desaturation events occurred at a higher frequency in low-birth-weight infants and those on room air when placed in the swing, although none required oxygen supplementation. The results from the current study support that it is probably safe to use semi-upright swings in the NICU environment, although additional studies are necessary for generalization to the unmonitored home environment.

Associations between socioeconomic gradients and racial disparities in preadolescent brain outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which socioeconomic characteristics of the home and neighborhood are associated with racial inequalities in brain outcomes. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the baseline dataset (v.2.0.1) from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. Cognitive performance was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Toolbox (NIH-TB) cognitive battery. Standard socioeconomic indicators of the family and neighborhood were derived from census-related statistics. Cortical morphometric measures included MRI-derived thickness, area, and volume. RESULTS: 9638 children were included. Each NIH-TB cognitive measure was negatively associated with household and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics. Differences in cognitive scores between Black or Hispanic children and other racial groups were mitigated by higher household income. Most children from lowest-income families or residents in impoverished neighborhoods were Black or Hispanic. These disparities were associated with racial differences in NIH-TB measures and mediated by smaller cortical brain volumes. CONCLUSIONS: Neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics are associated with racial differences in preadolescent brain outcomes and mitigated by greater household income. Household income mediates racial differences more strongly than neighborhood-level socioeconomic indicators in brain outcomes. Highlighting these socioeconomic risks may direct focused policy-based interventions such as allocation of community resources to ensure equitable brain outcomes in children. IMPACT: Neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics are associated with racial differences in preadolescent brain outcomes and mitigated by greater household income. Household income mediates racial differences more strongly than neighborhood-level socioeconomic indicators in brain outcomes. Highlighting these disparities related to socioeconomic risks may direct focused policy-based interventions such as allocation of community resources to ensure equitable brain outcomes in children.

Suppurative Thyroiditis: A Management Paradigm Based on Microbiology.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine if microbiological cultures can guide management of suppurative thyroiditis. DESIGN: This study is a retrospective case series set in 2 tertiary care academic hospitals. METHODS: The microbiological cultures from patients with suppurative thyroiditis who underwent incision and drainage from July 2004 to June 2018 were reviewed. Those who had confirmed pyriform sinus tracts and underwent surgical intervention were included in the study. RESULTS: Fifteen patients satisfied the criteria for inclusion. All had confirmed pyriform sinus tracts and underwent successful intervention. Endoscopic cautery was the most common intervention followed by complete open excision. Five cultures grew alpha Streptococcus, 6 had Eikenella, and 4 Prevotella. Combinations of Eikenella + Prevotella were seen in 3, and 1 sample had all 3 bacteria. Two cultured methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus alone. One culture was sterile. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of oral flora in an intrathyroidal abscess is confirmatory evidence of a pyriform sinus tract. Further investigations are not needed, and early definitive intervention can be planned.

Predicting polysomnographic severity thresholds in children using machine learning.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 500,000 children undergo tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A) annually for treatment of obstructive sleep disordered breathing (oSDB). Although polysomnography is beneficial for preoperative risk stratification in these children, its expanded use is limited by the associated costs and resources needed. Therefore, we used machine learning and data from potentially wearable sensors to identify children needing postoperative overnight monitoring based on the polysomnographic severity of oSDB. METHODS: Children aged 2-17 years undergoing polysomnography were included. Six machine learning models were created using (i) clinical parameters and (ii) nocturnal actigraphy and oxygen desaturation index. The prediction performance for polysomnography-derived severity of oSDB measured by apnea hypopnea index (AHI) >2 and >10 were evaluated. RESULTS: One hundred and ninety children were included. One hundred and eight were male (57%), mean age was 6.7 years [95% confidence interval; 6.1, 7.2], and mean AHI was 10.6 [7.8, 13.4]. Predictive performance utilizing clinical parameters was poor for both AHI > 2 (accuracy range: 48-56% for all models) and AHI > 10 (50-61%). Combining oximetry and actigraphy improved the accuracy to 87-89% for AHI > 2 and 95-96% for AHI > 10. CONCLUSIONS: Machine learning with oximetry and actigraphy identifies most children needing overnight monitoring as determined by polysomnographic severity of oSDB, supporting a potential resource-conscious screening pathway for children undergoing T&A. IMPACT: We provide proof of principle for the utility of machine learning, oximetry, and actigraphy to screen for severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in children. Clinical parameters perform poorly in predicting the severity of OSAS, which is confirmed in the current study. The predictive accuracy for severe OSAS was improved by a smaller subset of quantifiable physiologic parameters, such as oximetry. The results of this study support a lower cost, patient-friendly screening pathway to identify children in need of in-hospital observation after surgery.

Refining screening questionnaires for prediction of sleep apnea severity in children.

PURPOSE: Screening instruments are poor predictors of the severity of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We hypothesized that their performance could be improved by identifying and eliminating redundant features. METHODS: Baseline scores from three screening questionnaires for pediatric OSA were obtained from the Childhood Adenotonsillectomy Trial (CHAT). The questionnaires included the (i) modified Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), (ii) the sleep-related breathing disorders subscale of the pediatric sleep questionnaire (PSQ), and the (iii) obstructive sleep apnea-18 (OSA-18) scale. Key features from each questionnaire were identified using variable selection methods. These selected features (SF) were then assessed for their ability to predict the severity of OSA, measured by the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and oxygen desaturation index (ODI). In addition, prediction performance of SF was also calculated for AHI > 5 and > 10 and ODI > 5 and > 10, respectively. RESULTS: Four hundred fifty-three children aged 5-10 years were included. The majority of the pairwise correlations among the items within the 3 screening questionnaires were statistically significant. The prediction of AHI and ODI by overall questionnaire scores was poor. Four-item SF, comprising apneic pauses, growth problems, mouth breathing, and obesity predicted AHI and ODI significantly better than each of the individual questionnaires. Furthermore, SF also predicted AHI > 5 and > 10, as well as ODI > 5 and > 10 significantly better than the original questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS: Elimination of redundant items in screening questionnaires improves their prediction performance for OSA severity in children with high pre-test probability for the condition.

Subplate neurons are the first cortical neurons to respond to sensory stimuli.

In utero experience, such as maternal speech in humans, can shape later perception, although the underlying cortical substrate is unknown. In adult mammals, ascending thalamocortical projections target layer 4, and the onset of sensory responses in the cortex is thought to be dependent on the onset of thalamocortical transmission to layer 4 as well as the ear and eye opening. In developing animals, thalamic fibers do not target layer 4 but instead target subplate neurons deep in the developing white matter. We investigated if subplate neurons respond to sensory stimuli. Using electrophysiological recordings in young ferrets, we show that auditory cortex neurons respond to sound at very young ages, even before the opening of the ears. Single unit recordings showed that auditory responses emerged first in cortical subplate neurons. Subsequently, responses appeared in the future thalamocortical input layer 4, and sound-evoked spike latencies were longer in layer 4 than in subplate, consistent with the known relay of thalamic information to layer 4 by subplate neurons. Electrode array recordings show that early auditory responses demonstrate a nascent topographic organization, suggesting that topographic maps emerge before the onset of spiking responses in layer 4. Together our results show that sound-evoked activity and topographic organization of the cortex emerge earlier and in a different layer than previously thought. Thus, early sound experience can activate and potentially sculpt subplate circuits before permanent thalamocortical circuits to layer 4 are present, and disruption of this early sensory activity could be utilized for early diagnosis of developmental disorders.

A Retrospective Volume Matched Analysis of the Submental Artery Island Pedicled Flap as Compared to the Forearm Free Flap: Is It a Good Alternative Choice for the Reconstruction of Defects of the Oral Cavity and Oropharynx?

PURPOSE: The submental artery island pedicled flap (SMIF) is an underused alternative for reconstruction of head and neck defects after tumor ablation. The purpose of this study was to perform a comparative evaluation of reconstructive outcomes based on surgical site and ablative defect volume in patients who underwent reconstruction with the SMIF versus the forearm free flap (FFF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of all patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal defects reconstructed with the SMIF and a cohort of patients with similar volume defects reconstructed with the FFF were compared for oncologic safety and viability of equivalent reconstructive outcomes. All statistical comparisons were assessed by analysis of variance and Fisher exact test. RESULTS: Average age was 61.8 years in the SMIF group versus 57.9 years in the FFF group. The most common defect was located in the tongue, with squamous cell carcinoma being the most common pathology identified. Flap volumes were similar (SMIF, 38.79 cm3; FFF, 39.77 cm3). Significant comparative outcomes identified with SMIF versus FFF reconstruction included shorter anesthesia times (815 vs 1,209 minutes; P < .001), shorter operative times (653 vs 1,031 minutes; P < .001), and less blood loss (223 vs 398 mL; P = .04). Postoperative Eastern Co-operative Oncology Group performance score increased more for the FFF than for the SMIF group (+0.33 vs + 1.25; P = .0019). Recipient site complication rates were lower for the FFF group (0.17 vs 0.42 per patient) but were not statistically relevant. There were equal rates of recurrence at the local surgical site and no differences in speech and swallowing function. Mean follow-up was 15.5 months. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to compare the SMIF with the FFF for reconstruction of oral cavity defects based on ablative volume deficit. The SMIF is a viable surgical option compared with the FFF that can be considered oncologically safe in the N0 neck, allowing for an excellent esthetic reconstruction, with decreased operative time, hospital stay, and donor site morbidity.

Is Long-Term Follow-Up Mandatory for Stage I Oral Tongue Cancer?

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to analyze the outcomes and possible risk factors for late recurrence of pathologic stage I oral tongue squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) in patients considered disease free at 3 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated all patients with pathologic stage I oral tongue cancer within a tertiary care center from 2003 through 2013 who had been followed for a minimum of 36 months. RESULTS: One hundred twelve patients met inclusion criteria for long-term analysis. Despite the high overall survival of 92.2% for true pT1N0M0 disease, initial surgery failed in 25 of 112 patients (22.3%) who developed late disease recurrence (>36-month follow-up) locally (19.6%; n = 22), regionally (4.4%; n = 5), or as second primary disease (11.6%; n = 13). Eleven patients (50%) who had local recurrence could be salvaged with a second surgery, requiring no further treatment (mean, 48.7 months). Projected 10-year disease-free survival and overall survival were 61 and 89%, respectively. Thirty-three percent (n = 3 of 9) of deaths occurred in long-term patients considered disease free at 36 months. CONCLUSION: Stage I tongue SCC is more common in women and is associated with pre-existing leukoplakia. Although overall survival is excellent, a high failure rate from local recurrence or a new second primary is seen over an extended period. Long-term follow-up is mandatory because local salvage rates are excellent if SCC is diagnosed early. Regional failure carries a poor prognosis.

Surgical Site Infections in Patients Receiving Osteomyocutaneous Free Flaps to the Head and Neck. Does Choice of Antibiotic Prophylaxis Matter?

PURPOSE: The most appropriate prophylactic antibiotic for clean-and-contaminated head and neck osteomyocutaneous free flap (OFF) tissue transfer procedures is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the choice of perioperative antibiotic was related to recipient surgical site infection (SSI) in patients receiving an OFF to the head and neck. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study evaluated SSI in relation to the perioperative antibiotic received from July 2010 through October 2013 at a tertiary care medical center. Minimum follow-up was 6 months. SSI was defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wound infection criteria. Perioperative antibiotic selected, duration of use, OFF performed, medical comorbidities, and SSIs were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred two patients (64 men, 38 women) met the inclusion criteria. Forty patients developed an SSI. Analysis of variance showed that age (P = .64), gender (P = .97), use of alcohol (P = .87), final pathology (P = .3), cardiovascular disease (P = .33), and diabetes mellitus or immune dysfunction (P = .95) did not have a significant association with the development of a postoperative wound infection. On univariate analysis, non-head and neck primary malignancies showed a significant risk for SSI (P = .03), with previous head and neck surgery (P = .05) and oral tobacco use (P = .06) having trends for increased risk of SSI. Clindamycin antibiotic was strongly associated with the development of an SSI, with 50% of that cohort developing a recipient SSI (odds ratio = 7.0; P < .002), regardless of duration of use. The rate of development of a recipient SSI with cefazolin was 25% and that with ampicillin plus sulbactam was 19%. CONCLUSION: A statistically relevant number of patients who developed a recipient SSI received clindamycin as perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. An antibiotic regime other than clindamycin should be considered in patients with an allergy to penicillin or cephalosporin who are undergoing an OFF procedure to the head and neck.

Multisensory training improves auditory spatial processing following bilateral cochlear implantation.

Cochlear implants (CIs) partially restore hearing to the deaf by directly stimulating the inner ear. In individuals fitted with CIs, lack of auditory experience due to loss of hearing before language acquisition can adversely impact outcomes. For example, adults with early-onset hearing loss generally do not integrate inputs from both ears effectively when fitted with bilateral CIs (BiCIs). Here, we used an animal model to investigate the effects of long-term deafness on auditory localization with BiCIs and approaches for promoting the use of binaural spatial cues. Ferrets were deafened either at the age of hearing onset or as adults. All animals were implanted in adulthood, either unilaterally or bilaterally, and were subsequently assessed for their ability to localize sound in the horizontal plane. The unilaterally implanted animals were unable to perform this task, regardless of the duration of deafness. Among animals with BiCIs, early-onset hearing loss was associated with poor auditory localization performance, compared with late-onset hearing loss. However, performance in the early-deafened group with BiCIs improved significantly after multisensory training with interleaved auditory and visual stimuli. We demonstrate a possible neural substrate for this by showing a training-induced improvement in the responsiveness of auditory cortical neurons and in their sensitivity to interaural level differences, the principal localization cue available to BiCI users. Importantly, our behavioral and physiological evidence demonstrates a facilitative role for vision in restoring auditory spatial processing following potential cross-modal reorganization. These findings support investigation of a similar training paradigm in human CI users.

Quality of life factors and survival after total or extended maxillectomy for sinonasal malignancies.

PURPOSE: Total and extended maxillectomy results in significant morbidity that can have an effect on quality of life factors. Modern reconstructive techniques have ameliorated this effect, but they have not been quantified. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the quality of life factors and survival of patients undergoing total or extended maxillectomy for malignant disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed of all patients who had undergone total or extended maxillectomy at a tertiary care cancer center from January 2008 to May 2013. The minimum follow-up period was 6 months. The quality of life factors analyzed included swallowing function and diet consistency, pain control, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: A total of 25 patients (13 women and 12 men) met the inclusion criteria. Using the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system, 76% of the patients had stage IV disease. Of the 25 patients, 13 received a free tissue transfer, 11 an obturator flap, and 1 a regional flap. None of the patients with a free tissue transfer experienced failure. The tumor size had no systemic influence on the reconstructive method chosen (P = .32 to P = .98). The median follow-up period was 41 weeks (range 24 to 252). One death was recorded, and 10 patients were lost to follow-up. Eleven patients progressed to a regular diet. Fifteen patients required a tracheostomy, and all were decannulated at a mean of 14 days postoperatively. One patient had dental implants placed. The type of reconstruction did not influence swallowing function (P = .49) or long-term pain (P = .38). The mean pain score was 4.9 ± 2.7. Pain management proved difficult in 7 patients. Also, 6 patients developed a surgical site infection, 3 of whom required a return to the operating room. Seven patients were readmitted to the hospital for complications; however, the reconstructive method did not influence the incidence of complications (P = .64). CONCLUSIONS: The inevitable morbidity, with respect to quality of life factors, that result from the disfiguring effects of total or extended maxillectomy can be deemed acceptable by patients. We recommend discussing all reconstructive options regarding the management of late-stage maxillary malignancies and the potential effect they can have on patients' quality of life.

Alternatives to Polysomnography for the Diagnosis of Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) requires hospital-based, overnight level I polysomnography (PSG). Obtaining a level I PSG can be challenging for children and their caregivers due to the costs, barriers to access, and associated discomfort. Less burdensome methods that approximate pediatric PSG data are needed. The goal of this review is to evaluate and discuss alternatives for evaluating pediatric SDB. To date, wearable devices, single-channel recordings, and home-based PSG have not been validated as suitable replacements for PSG. However, they may play a role in risk stratification or as screening tools for pediatric OSA. Further studies are needed to determine if the combined use of these metrics could predict OSA.

Ultrasound versus fine needle aspiration for the initial evaluation of pediatric cervical lymphadenopathy-A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Cervical lymphadenopathy is a frequent finding in children that poses diagnostic challenges. We sought to compare the utility of fine needle aspiration (FNA) with ultrasound (US) for evaluating pediatric cervical lymphadenopathy based on published literature. STUDY DESIGN: In October 2019, we performed a comprehensive electronic search of PubMed, OVID (MEDLINE), EMBASE, and Scopus databases. Two authors independently screened and assessed full-text reports of potentially eligible studies. We compared sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value estimates, and balanced accuracy for determining the underlying etiology of lymphadenopathy. RESULTS: The initial search returned 7736 possible studies, of which 31 met the criteria for inclusion. A total of 25 studies were included in the final analysis, with a total of 4721 patients, of which 52.8% were male. Of these, 9 (36.0%) examined US, and 16 (64%) examined fine needle aspiration. The pooled balanced accuracy for determining etiology was 87.7% for US and 92.9% for FNA. Reactive lymphadenopathy was identified in 47.9%, 9.2% were malignant, 12.6% were granulomatous, and 6.6% were non-diagnostic. CONCLUSIONS: In this systematic review, US was identified as an accurate initial diagnostic imaging modality in children. Fine needle aspiration was found to play a significant role in ruling out malignant lesions and potentially avoiding excisional biopsy.

Longitudinal alterations in brain morphometry mediated the effects of bullying victimization on cognitive development in preadolescents.

Bullying victimization is associated with a doubled risk of attempting suicide in adulthood. Two longitudinal brain morphometry studies identified the fusiform gyrus and putamen as vulnerable to bullying. No study identified how neural alterations may mediate the effect of bullying on cognition. We assessed participants with caregiver-reported bullying (N = 323) and matched non-bullied controls (N = 322) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study dataset to identify changes in brain morphometry associated with ongoing bullying victimization over two years and determine whether such alterations mediated the effect of bullying on cognition. Bullied children (38.7% girls, 47.7% racial minorities, 9.88 ± 0.62 years at baseline) had poorer cognitive performance (P < 0.05), larger right hippocampus (P = 0.036), left entorhinal cortex, left superior parietal cortex, and right fusiform gyrus volumes (all P < 0.05), as well as larger surface areas in multiple other frontal, parietal, and occipital cortices. Thinner cortices were also found in the left hemisphere, particularly in the left temporal lobe, and right frontal region (all P < 0.05). Importantly, larger surface area in the fusiform cortices partially suppressed (12-16%), and thinner precentral cortices partially mitigated, (7%) the effect of bullying on cognition (P < 0.05). These findings highlight the negative impact of prolonged bullying victimization on brain morphometry and cognition.

Resting-State Cerebral Hemodynamics is Associated With Problem Behaviors in Pediatric Sleep-Disordered Breathing.

OBJECTIVE: Untreated sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with problem behaviors in children. The neurological basis for this relationship is unknown. We used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to assess the relationship between cerebral hemodynamics of the frontal lobe of the brain and problem behaviors in children with SDB. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Urban tertiary care academic children's hospital and affiliated sleep center. METHODS: We enrolled children with SDB aged 5 to 16 years old referred for polysomnography. We measured fNIRS-derived cerebral hemodynamics within the frontal lobe during polysomnography. We assessed parent-reported problem behaviors using the Behavioral Response Inventory of Executive Function Second Edition (BRIEF-2). We compared the relationships between (i) the instability in cerebral perfusion in the frontal lobe measured fNIRS, (ii) SDB severity using apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), and (iii) BRIEF-2 clinical scales using Pearson correlation (r). A p < .05 was considered significant. RESULTS: A total of 54 children were included. The average age was 7.8 (95% confidence interval, 7.0-8.7) years; 26 (48%) were boys and 25 (46%) were Black. The mean AHI was 9.9 (5.7-14.1). There is a statistically significant inverse relationship between the coefficient of variation of perfusion in the frontal lobe and BRIEF-2 clinical scales (range of r = 0.24-0.49, range of p = .076 to <.001). The correlations between AHI and BRIEF-2 scales were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: These results provide preliminary evidence for fNIRS as a child-friendly biomarker for the assessment of adverse outcomes of SDB.

Average Volume-assured Pressure Support as Rescue Therapy after CPAP Failure in Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Retrospective Case Series Study.

Background: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is frequently prescribed for patients with residual obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) following adenotonsillectomy. Objectives: The goal was to examine the efficacy of noninvasive ventilation with average volume-assured pressure support (AVAPS) as a potential option for children with failed CPAP titration. Methods: In a single-center retrospective study, we included children aged 1-17 years, with polysomnographically confirmed OSA who underwent AVAPS titration following failed CPAP titration. In addition to describing the clinical characteristics of the included patients, we compared polysomnographic parameters before and after AVAPS. Results: Nine patients met the inclusion criteria; out of them, 8 (89%) were males with an age range of 6.7 ± 3.9 years and a body mass index percentile of 81.0 ± 28.9. Reasons for failed CPAP titration were: 3 (33%) patients due to inability to control apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), 3 (33%) patients due to sleep-related hypoventilation, 2 (22%) patients due to treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, and 1 (11%) patient due to intolerance to CPAP. AVAPS resulted in a greater reduction in AHI than CPAP (reduction following CPAP = 24.6 ± 29.3, reduction following AVAPS = 42.5 ± 37.6, p = 0.008). All patients had resolution of the problems which caused CPAP failure. Conclusion: In this case a series of children with OSA and with failed CPAP titration, AVAPS resulted in a greater reduction in AHI compared with CPAP as well as resolution of the problems which caused CPAP failure.

Prenatal tobacco exposure on brain morphometry partially mediated poor cognitive performance in preadolescent children.

Objectives: To evaluate whether prenatal tobacco exposure (PTE) is related to poorer cognitive performance, abnormal brain morphometry, and whether poor cognitive performance is mediated by PTE-related structural brain differences. Methods: The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study dataset was used to compare structural MRI data and neurocognitive (NIH Toolbox®) scores in 9-to-10-year-old children with (n=620) and without PTE (n=10,989). We also evaluated whether PTE effects on brain morphometry mediated PTE effects on neurocognitive scores. Group effects were evaluated using Linear Mixed Models, covaried for socio-demographics and prenatal exposures to alcohol and/or marijuana, and corrected for multiple comparisons using the false-discovery rate (FDR). Results: Compared to unexposed children, those with PTE had poorer performance (all p-values <0.05) on executive function, working memory, episodic memory, reading decoding, crystallized intelligence, fluid intelligence and overall cognition. Exposed children also had thinner parahippocampal gyri, smaller surface areas in the posterior-cingulate and pericalcarine cortices; the lingual and inferior parietal gyri, and smaller thalamic volumes (all p-values <0.001). Furthermore, among children with PTE, girls had smaller surface areas in the superior-frontal (interaction-FDR-p=0.01), precuneus (interaction-FDR-p=0.03) and postcentral gyri (interaction-FDR-p=0.02), while boys had smaller putamen volumes (interaction-FDR-p=0.02). Smaller surface areas across regions of the frontal and parietal lobes, and lower thalamic volumes, partially mediated the associations between PTE and poorer neurocognitive scores (p-values <0.001). Conclusions: Our findings suggest PTE may lead to poorer cognitive performance and abnormal brain morphometry, with sex-specific effects in some brain regions, in pre-adolescent children. The poor cognition in children with PTE may result from the smaller areas and subcortical brain volumes.

Tracheostomy in the extremely premature neonate - Long term outcomes in a multi-institutional study.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the long-term outcomes related to breathing, feeding, and neurocognitive development in extremely premature infants requiring tracheostomy. STUDY DESIGN: Pooled cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Multi-institutional academic children's hospitals. METHODS: Extremely premature infants who underwent tracheostomy between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2019, at four academic hospitals were identified from an existing database. Information was gathered from responses to a questionnaire by caregivers regarding airway status, feeding, and neurodevelopment 2-9 years after tracheostomy. RESULTS: Data was available for 89/91 children (96.8%). The mean gestational age was 25.5 weeks (95% CI 25.2-25.7) and mean birth weight was 0.71 kg (95% CI 0.67-0.75). Mean post gestational age at tracheostomy was 22.8 weeks (95% CI 19.0-26.6). At time of the survey, 18 (20.2%) were deceased. 29 (40.8%) maintained a tracheostomy, 18 (25.4%) were on ventilatory support, and 5 (7%) required 24-h supplemental oxygen. Forty-six (64.8%) maintained a gastrostomy tube, 25 (35.2%) had oral dysphagia, and 24 (33.8%) required a modified diet. 51 (71.8%) had developmental delay, 45 (63.4%) were enrolled in school of whom 33 (73.3%) required special education services. CONCLUSIONS: Tracheostomy in extremely premature neonates is associated with long term morbidity in the pulmonary, feeding, and neurocognitive domains. At time of the survey, about half are decannulated, with a majority weaned off ventilatory support indicating improvement in lung function with age. Feeding dysfunction is persistent, and a significant number will have some degree of neurocognitive dysfunction at school age. This information may help caregivers regarding expectations and plans for resource management.

Secondary Analyses of the Childhood Adenotonsillectomy Trial: A Narrative Review.

Importance: Adenotonsillectomy, performed for approximately 500 000 children annually in the US alone, is the first line of treatment of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The Childhood Adenotonsillectomy Trial (CHAT), the first randomized clinical trial to test the efficacy of adenotonsillectomy, compared the management of pediatric nonsevere OSA by early adenotonsillectomy (eAT) vs watchful waiting with supportive care. Since the publication of the primary article in 2013, the CHAT study data set were made available via the National Sleep Research Resource, which allowed researchers to address a range of additional clinical questions relevant to the care of children with OSA. This review focuses on secondary analyses associated with the CHAT data set as grouped by the outcome of interest. Observations: The results of most secondary analyses suggest that children who underwent eAT experienced the greatest improvements in symptom burden, sleepiness, parent-reported behavior, and quality of life. Changes in other domains, such as cognition, cardiovascular physiology, and metabolic indicators, were modest and selective. The associations between most treatment outcomes and polysomnographic parameters were weak. Symptoms were poor predictors of OSA severity. The results from these secondary analyses benefitted from the rigor of multicenter design and centralized polysomnography interpretation in CHAT. However, the exclusion of younger preschool-aged children and children with primary snoring limited the generalizability of findings. In addition, because caregivers were not masked, some of the parent-reported outcomes may have been inflated. Conclusions and Relevance: The results of this narrative review suggest that CHAT provides a model for future OSA-related studies in children for design, conduct, and subsequent reuse of the study data set, and its findings have advanced our understanding of the pathophysiology and management of pediatric nonsevere OSA. Directions for future research include whether the findings from this landmark study are generalizable to younger children and children with primary snoring and severe OSA. Similar studies may help address practice variability associated with pediatric OSA and help identify children who are most likely to benefit from undergoing eAT.