Agreement between cardiac output estimation with a wireless, wearable pulse decomposition analysis device and continuous thermodilution in post cardiac surgery intensive care unit patients.

PURPOSE: Pulse Decomposition Analysis (PDA) uses integration of the systolic area of a distally transmitted aortic pulse as well as arterial stiffness estimates to compute cardiac output. We sought to assess agreement of cardiac output (CO) estimation between continuous pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) guided thermodilution (CO-CCO) and a wireless, wearable noninvasive device, (Vitalstream, Caretaker Medical, Charlottesville, VA), that utilizes the Pulse Decomposition Analysis (CO-PDA) method in postoperative cardiac surgery patients in the intensive care unit. METHODS: CO-CCO measurements were compared with post processed CO-PDA measurements in prospectively enrolled adult cardiac surgical intensive care unit patients. Uncalibrated CO-PDA values were compared for accuracy with CO-CCO via a Bland-Altman analysis considering repeated measurements and a concordance analysis with a 10% exclusion zone. RESULTS: 259.7 h of monitoring data from 41 patients matching 15,583 data points were analyzed. Mean CO-CCO was 5.55 L/min, while mean values for the CO-PDA were 5.73 L/min (mean of differences +- SD 0.79 ± 1.11 L/min; limits of agreement - 1.43 to 3.01 L/min), with a percentage error of 37.5%. CO-CCO correlation with CO-PDA was moderate (0.54) and concordance was 0.83. CONCLUSION: Compared with the CO-CCO Swan-Ganz, cardiac output measurements obtained using the CO-PDA were not interchangeable when using a 30% threshold. These preliminary results were within the 45% limits for minimally invasive devices, and pending further robust trials, the CO-PDA offers a noninvasive, wireless solution to complement and extend hemodynamic monitoring within and outside the ICU.

Incidence, severity and detection of blood pressure and heart rate perturbations in postoperative ward patients after noncardiac surgery.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine changes in continuous mean and systolic blood pressure and heart rate in a cohort of non-cardiac surgical patients recovering on the postoperative ward. Furthermore, we estimated the proportion of vital signs changes that would remain undetected with intermittent vital signs checks. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING: Post-operative general ward. PATIENTS: 14,623 adults recovering from non-cardiac surgical procedures. INTERVENTIONS & MEASUREMENTS: Using a wireless, noninvasive monitor, we recorded postoperative blood pressure and heart rate at 15-s intervals and encouraged nursing intervention as clinically indicated. MAIN RESULTS: 7% of our cohort of 14,623 patients spent >15 sustained minutes with a MAP <65 mmHg, and 23% had MAP <75 mmHg for 15 sustained minutes. Hypertension was more common, with 67% of patients spending at least 60 sustained minutes with MAP >110 mmHg. Systolic pressures <90 mmHg were present for 15 sustained minutes in about a fifth of all patients, and 40% of patients had pressures >160 mmHg sustained for 30 min. 40% of patients were tachycardic with heart rates >100 beats/min for at least continuous 15 min and 15% of patients were bradycardic at a threshold of <50 beats/min for 5 sustained minutes. Conventional vital sign assessments at 4-h intervals would have missed 54% of mean pressure episodes <65 mmHg sustained >15 min, 20% of episodes of mean pressures >130 mmHg sustained >30 min, 36% of episodes of heart rate > 120 beats/min sustained <10 min, and 68% of episodes of heart rate sustained <40 beats per minute for >3 min. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial hemodynamic disturbances persisted despite implementing continuous portable ward monitoring coupled with nursing alarms and interventions. A significant proportion of these changes would have gone undetected using traditional intermittent monitoring. Better understanding of effective responses to alarms and appropriate interventions on hospital wards remains necessary.

Agreement between cardiac output estimation by multi-beat analysis of arterial blood pressure waveforms and continuous thermodilution in post cardiac surgery intensive care unit patients.

We sought to assess agreement of cardiac output estimation between continuous pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) guided thermodilution (CO-CTD) and a novel pulse wave analysis (PWA) method that performs an analysis of multiple beats of the arterial blood pressure waveform (CO-MBA) in post-operative cardiac surgery patients. PAC obtained CO-CTD measurements were compared with CO-MBA measurements from the Argos monitor (Retia Medical; Valhalla, NY, USA), in prospectively enrolled adult cardiac surgical intensive care unit patients. Agreement was assessed via Bland-Altman analysis. Subgroup analysis was performed on data segments identified as arrhythmia, or with low CO (less than 5 L/min). 927 hours of monitoring data from 79 patients was analyzed, of which 26 had arrhythmia. Mean CO-CTD was 5.29 ± 1.14 L/min (bias ± precision), whereas mean CO-MBA was 5.36 ± 1.33 L/min, (4.95 ± 0.80 L/min and 5.04 ± 1.07 L/min in the arrhythmia subgroup). Mean of differences was 0.04 ± 1.04 L/min with an error of 38.2%. In the arrhythmia subgroup, mean of differences was 0.14 ± 0.90 L/min with an error of 35.4%. In the low CO subgroup, mean of differences was 0.26 ± 0.89 L/min with an error of 40.4%. In adult patients after cardiac surgery, including those with low cardiac output and arrhythmia CO-MBA is not interchangeable with the continuous thermodilution method via a PAC, when using a 30% error threshold.

Ageing with HIV: a longitudinal study of markers of resilience in young adults with perinatal exposure to HIV, with or without perinatally acquired HIV.

INTRODUCTION: Medical challenges, including perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV), can be considered adversity with the potential to compromise individuals' ability to meet societal expectations across the lifespan. Studies suggest that resilience, defined as positive adaptation in the context of adversity, helps individuals overcome challenges and improve their quality of life. Few longitudinal studies have examined resilience in young adults with perinatally acquired HIV (YAPHIV) or perinatal HIV exposure, uninfected (YAPHEU). We examined three young adult milestones, which can affect the life-long quality of life, as markers of resilience: high school graduation, postsecondary education and current employment. METHODS: Analyses included YAPHIV and YAPHEU, ages 19-27 years, followed in longitudinal cohort studies: Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study Adolescent Master Protocol (AMP) (7-17 years) and AMP Up (≥18 years). Factors known to influence the attainment of milestones (outcomes) were examined: executive function, cognitive efficiency (working memory and processing speed), behavioural/social-emotional functioning, parent/caregiver mental/physical health and cumulative risk. HIV disease markers for YAPHIV were examined. The most recent AMP assessment was used for each factor; outcomes were measured at AMP Up 1-year follow-up. Separate robust Poisson regression models were used to assess associations of each factor with each outcome; PHIV status was explored as an effect modifier of each association. RESULTS: Participants (N = 315; YAPHIV = 228): 58% female, 67% Black and 27% Hispanic. Compared to YAPHEU, YAPHIV were older and from families with higher median income and fewer symptoms of parent/caregiver mental health/substance use disorders. Proportions of YAPHIV and YAPHEU, respectively, who achieved each milestone were comparable: 82% versus 78% for high school graduation (p = 0.49), 45% versus 51% for postsecondary education (p = 0.35) and 48% versus 54% for current employment (p = 0.32). Higher cognitive efficiency was positively associated with postsecondary education and current employment. Higher executive function, age-appropriate behavioural/social-emotional functioning and lower cumulative risk were associated with academic milestones. Among YAPHIV, positive associations were: higher current CD4 with postsecondary education and lower nadir CD4 with current employment. PHIV status did not modify any association. CONCLUSIONS: YAPHIV and YAPHEU demonstrated resilience, attaining at least one young adult milestone. Cognitive, behavioural and social resources to support resilience in childhood and adolescence may provide the foundation for continued achievement throughout adulthood.

Impact of Childhood Leukemia Treatment on Attention Measured by the Continuous Performance Test Factor Structure.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the impact of central nervous system-directed treatment on attention and its relation to academic outcomes in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors. SAMPLE & SETTING: 51 children diagnosed with ALL at two pediatric oncology treatment centers in the southwestern United States. METHODS & VARIABLES: A prospective, longitudinal design measured attention after a child was in remission, two years after the start of treatment, and at the end of treatment. Attention measures from the Conners' Continuous Performance Test were grouped into composite subdomains based on a factor structure describing focused attention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, sustained attention, and vigilance. RESULTS: Children treated for ALL exhibited decreased focused attention, sustained attention, and vigilance during and at the end of treatment when compared to age- and gender-normed references. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Pediatric oncology nurses are in a position to ask patients and parents about neuropsychological difficulties during ALL treatment. Patients who experience these effects are at risk for decreased academic abilities after treatment.

Recovery of physical activity after cesarean delivery and its relationship with pain.

Pain and physical activity are tightly intertwined. Although their relationship has been explored in chronic pain conditions, we know little about the pattern of recovery in activity and its short- and long-term relationship with pain after surgery. We recruited 103 women undergoing elective cesarean delivery and acquired daily pain assessments and hourly steps in 98 of them for 2 months after surgery. Compliance was good, with 78% of subjects missing less than 7 days of activity. Study personnel required daily checking for compliance and 20 minutes per subject per week in study. Activity increased over the first 2 postoperative months in a log(time) manner. The slope of each modeled individual curve for activity was inversely correlated (r = -0.54; P < 0.0001) with worst daily pain. After removing these 2-month trends, pain and activity within an individual day were negatively associated with each point increase in pain being inversely associated with -119 steps (95% confidence interval [CI] = -214 to -25; P = 0.013). A patient's previous experience of pain was not associated with current activity as well as current activity was not associated with future pain scores. These data, although limited by the study of a single operation in a unique social circumstance with low risk of chronic postsurgical pain, demonstrate feasibility of measuring hourly activity for 2 months after surgery. Recovery from pain and inactivity are tightly correlated, and the negative relationship between within-day pain and activity without interday carryover relationships is in stark contrast to findings in chronic pain conditions.

Development and reliability of the Prospective Memory Assessment for Children & Youth (PROMACY): A preliminary study in a nonclinical sample.

Prospective memory (PM), "remembering to remember," has been linked to important functional outcomes in adults. Studies of PM in children and adolescents would benefit from the development and validation of developmentally appropriate clinical measures with known psychometric properties. The Prospective Memory Assessment for Children & Youth (PROMACY), a performance-based measure of PM, was developed for the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study Adolescent Master Protocol, Memory and Executive Functioning Substudy, and includes Summary, Time-, and Event-based scores derived from eight trials with an ongoing word search task. Fifty-four healthy perinatally HIV-exposed, uninfected children and youth, mean age 13 years, 54% female, 76% Black/non-Hispanic, and 61% impoverished were included in this psychometric analysis. PROMACY Summary Scores demonstrated low, but broadly acceptable internal consistency as measured by Cronbach's alpha and Spearman-Brown. Better PROMACY performance was associated with older age, but no other demographic factors. Generally medium-sized correlations were observed between the PROMACY Summary Score and standard clinical measures of retrospective memory, working memory, executive functions, and IQ. Findings from this preliminary psychometric study of nonclinical children and youth provide cautious support for the internal consistency and construct validity of PROMACY's Summary Score that awaits replication and extension in larger samples of healthy children, youth and clinical populations.

Patterns of recovery from pain after cesarean delivery.

We know very little about the change in pain in the first 2 months after surgery. To address this gap, we studied 530 women scheduled for elective cesarean delivery who completed daily pain diaries for 2 months after surgery through text messaging. Over 82% of subjects missed fewer than 10 diary entries and were included in the analysis. Completers were more likely to be Caucasian, nonsmokers, and with fewer previous pregnancies than noncompleters. Daily worst pain intensity ratings for the previous 24 hours were fit to a log(time) function and allowed to change to a different function up to 3 times according to a Bayesian criterion. All women had at least one change point, occurring 22 ± 9 days postoperatively, and 81% of women had only one change, most commonly to a linear function at 0 pain. Approximately 9% of women were predicted to have pain 2 months after surgery, similar to previous observations. Cluster analysis revealed 6 trajectories of recovery from pain. Predictors of cluster membership included severity of acute pain, perceived stress, surgical factors, and smoking status. These data demonstrate feasibility but considerable challenges to this approach to data acquisition. The form of the initial process of recovery from pain is common to all women, with divergence of patterns at 2 to 4 weeks after cesarean delivery. The change-point model accurately predicts recovery from pain; its parameters can be used to assess predictors of speed of recovery; and it may be useful for future observational, forecasting, and interventional trials.

Changes in Oxidant Defense, Apoptosis, and Cognitive Abilities During Treatment for Childhood Leukemia.

Aggressive central nervous system (CNS)-directed treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most prevalent cancer among children and adolescents, prevents metastasis of leukemia cells into the brain. Up to 60% of survivors experience cognitive problems, but knowledge about risk factors for and mechanisms of neurologic injury is lacking. Objectives of the present study were to (1) quantify changes in oxidant defense and apoptosis over the course of ALL therapy and (2) elucidate risk factors for long-term cognitive problems. The sample included 71 children with ALL. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected at diagnosis and during intrathecal chemotherapy administration. Oxidant defense was measured by reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), and the ratio of GSH:GSSG. Apoptosis was measured by activity of several cysteine-dependent aspartate-specific protease (abbreviated as caspase) enzymes that initiate (caspases 8 and 9) or execute (caspases 3/7) apoptosis. Cognitive abilities were assessed by standardized measures of short-term memory, visual-motor integration, and attention 3 years after ALL diagnosis. GSH and GSSG concentration increased significantly during ALL therapy, and a low GSH:GSSG ratio was indicative of an oxidized extracellular environment. Caspase enzyme activity increased significantly, and caspases 3/7 activity was significantly and negatively associated with performance on measures of cognitive abilities. Younger age at time of ALL diagnosis was associated with some measures of attention. Efflux of glutathione into CSF maintains oxidant defense by scavenging free radicals and other reactive oxygen species and is an early event in apoptosis. These mechanisms may be involved in neurologic injury associated with CNS-directed treatment and subsequent cognitive problems.

Prospective memory in youth with perinatally-acquired HIV infection.

Youth with perinatal HIV infection (PHIV) are at increased risk for neurocognitive impairment (NCI). Prospective memory (PM) is a complex neurocognitive function that has been shown to be impaired in adults with HIV disease and independently associated with poorer daily living skills, including medication nonadherence. The current study sought to determine the presence and extent of PM deficits in youth with PHIV. Participants included 173 youth with PHIV and 85 youth perinatally HIV-exposed but uninfected (PHEU), mean age 14.1 years, 75% black, 18% Hispanic. Among youth with PHIV, 26% had a past AIDS-defining condition (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], Class C), 74% did not (non-C). Adjusted generalized estimating equation models were used to compare groups (PHIV/C, PHIV/non-C, and PHEU) on the Naturalistic Event-Based Prospective Memory Test (NEPT) and the Prospective Memory Assessment for Children & Youth (PROMACY). Secondarily, subgroups defined by HIV serostatus and global NCI were compared (PHIV/NCI, PHIV/non-NCI, PHEU). PHIV/C had significantly lower NEPT scores than PHEU, with decreases of 40% in mean scores, but did not differ from PHIV/non-C. PHIV/NCI had 11-32% lower PROMACY scores and 33% lower NEPT scores compared to PHIV/non-NCI (all p < .05); significantly, lower scores for PHIV/NCI versus PHEU also were observed for PROMACY and NEPT indices. Findings suggest a subset of youth with PHIV (those with a prior AIDS-defining diagnosis) is vulnerable to PM deficits. The extent to which PM deficits interfere with development and maintenance of independent living and health-related behaviors during transition to adulthood requires further study.

Roles of Medication Responsibility, Executive and Adaptive Functioning in Adherence for Children and Adolescents With Perinatally Acquired HIV.

BACKGROUND: Medication adherence is a critical but challenging developmental task for children and adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV). Understanding how medication responsibility, executive functions (EFs) and adaptive functioning (AF) influence adherence may help prepare adolescents for transition to adulthood. METHODS: Participants included PHIV children and adolescents 7-16 years of age enrolled in the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study Adolescent Master Protocol, who were prescribed antiretroviral medications. Measures included caregiver report and child self-report measures of adherence, medication responsibility and EF, caregiver report of child AF, examiner-administered tests of EF and processing speed and demographic and health characteristics. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty-six participants with PHIV (mean age: 12 years old) were 51% female, 80% black and 79% non-Hispanic. Per 7-day recall, 72% were adherent (no missed doses). Children/adolescents self-reported that 22% had sole and 55% had shared medication responsibility. Adjusted logistic models revealed significantly higher odds of adherence with sole caregiver responsibility for medication [odds ratio (OR): 4.10, confidence interval (CI): 1.43-11.8, P = 0.009], child nadir CD4% <15% (OR: 2.26, CI: 1.15-4.43, P = 0.018), better self-reported behavioral regulation (OR: 0.65, CI: 0.44-0.96, P = 0.029) and slower processing speed (OR: 0.54, CI: 0.38-0.77, P < 0.001), adjusting for demographic variables (age, race and caregiver education). CONCLUSIONS: Among children and adolescents with PHIV, continued caregiver medication management, especially during adolescence, is essential. Although global EF and AF were not significantly associated with adherence, behavioral regulation was. Given that EF and AF develop throughout adolescence, their relationships to adherence should be evaluated longitudinally, especially as youth transition to adulthood and caregiver responsibility diminishes.

Day-to-day experience in resolution of pain after surgery.

We know little about the individual pain experience of patients recovering from surgery in the first weeks after hospital discharge. Here, we examine individual differences in the day-to-day experience after 2 major surgeries: lower limb total major joint arthroplasty (TJA) and cesarean delivery (CD). Fifty-five TJA patients and 157 CD patients were recruited to complete questionnaires and record their daily pain experiences after surgery. After hospital discharge, patients recorded their pain intensity once daily for 60 days (CD) or twice daily for 2 weeks, once daily for 2 weeks, weekly for 8 weeks, and monthly for 3 months (TJA). Pain scores were modeled using growth curve and Bayesian change-point models. Individual differences in the model fits were examined for evidence of day-to-day differences in pain. A log time model was the simplest model that fit the data, but examination of the residuals revealed high autocorrelation representing misspecification. A change-point model fit the data better and revealed that the form of recovery fundamentally changed between days 10 and 21 after surgery. These data add meaningfully to our understanding of recovery from pain after surgery by extending the period of frequent observations a few days after surgery to a 2-month period. These high time resolution data suggest that there is a typical experience of pain resolution after surgery, but that meaningful subpopulations of experience may exist. They also indicate that a transition occurs within 1 month after surgery from 1 pattern of change in pain over time to another.

Patterns of Opioid Prescription and Use After Cesarean Delivery.

OBJECTIVE: To define the amount of opioid analgesics prescribed and consumed after discharge after cesarean delivery. METHODS: We conducted a survey at six academic medical centers in the United States from September 2014 to March 2016. Women who had undergone a cesarean delivery were contacted by phone 2 weeks after discharge and participated in a structured interview about the opioid prescription they received on discharge and their oral opioid intake while at home. RESULTS: A total of 720 women were enrolled; of these, 615 (85.4%) filled an opioid prescription. The median number of dispensed opioid tablets was 40 (interquartile range 30-40), the median number consumed was 20 (interquartile range 8-30), and leftover was 15 (interquartile range 3-26). Of those with leftover opioids, 95.3% had not disposed of the excess medication at the time of the interview. There was an association between a larger number of tablets dispensed and the number consumed independent of patient characteristics. The amount of opioids dispensed did not correlate with patient satisfaction, pain control, or the need to refill the opioid prescription. CONCLUSION: The amount of opioid prescribed after cesarean delivery generally exceeds the amount consumed by a significant margin, leading to substantial amounts of leftover opioid medication. Lower opioid prescription correlates with lower consumption without a concomitant increase in pain scores or satisfaction.

Epidural Neostigmine versus Fentanyl to Decrease Bupivacaine Use in Patient-controlled Epidural Analgesia during Labor: A Randomized, Double-blind, Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: The addition of opioids to epidural local anesthetic reduces local anesthetic consumption by 20% but at the expense of side effects and time spent for regulatory compliance paperwork. Epidural neostigmine also reduces local anesthetic use. The authors hypothesized that epidural bupivacaine with neostigmine would decrease total hourly bupivacaine use compared with epidural bupivacaine with fentanyl for patient-controlled epidural analgesia. METHODS: A total of 215 American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status II, laboring parturients requesting labor epidural analgesia consented to the study and were randomized to receive 0.125% bupivacaine with the addition of either fentanyl (2 µg/ml) or neostigmine (2, 4, or 8 µg/ml). The primary outcome was total hourly local anesthetic consumption, defined as total patient-controlled epidural analgesia use and top-ups (expressed as milliliters of 0.125% bupivacaine) divided by the infusion duration. A priori analysis determined a group size of 35 was needed to have 80% power at α = 0.05 to detect a 20% difference in the primary outcome. RESULTS: Of 215 subjects consented, 151 patients were evaluable. Demographics, maternal and fetal outcomes, and labor characteristics were similar among groups. Total hourly local anesthetic consumption did not differ among groups (P = 0.55). The total median hourly bupivacaine consumption in the fentanyl group was 16.0 ml/h compared with 15.3, 14.6, and 16.2 ml/h in the 2, 4, and 8 µg/ml neostigmine groups, respectively (P = 0.55). CONCLUSIONS: The data do not support any difference in bupivacaine requirements for labor patient-controlled epidural analgesia whether patients receive epidural bupivacaine with 2 to 8 µg/ml neostigmine or epidural bupivacaine with 2 µg/ml fentanyl.

Impact of Perinatally Acquired HIV Disease Upon Longitudinal Changes in Memory and Executive Functioning.

BACKGROUND: Little is known regarding effects of perinatally acquired HIV infection (PHIV) on longitudinal change in memory and executive functioning (EF) during adolescence despite the importance of these skills for independence in adulthood. METHODS: PHIV (n = 144) and perinatally HIV-exposed uninfected youth (PHEU, n = 79), ages 12-17, completed standardized tests of memory and EF at baseline and 2 years later. Changes from baseline for each memory and EF outcome were compared between PHEU and PHIV youth with (PHIV/C, n = 39) and without (PHIV/non-C, n = 105) history of CDC class C (AIDS-defining) diagnoses. Among PHIV youth, associations of baseline and past disease severity with memory and EF performance at follow-up were evaluated using adjusted linear regression models. RESULTS: Participants were primarily black (79%); 16% were Hispanic; 55% were female. Mean memory and EF scores at follow-up generally fell in the low-average to average range. Pairwise comparison of adjusted mean change from baseline to follow-up revealed significantly greater change for PHIV/non-C compared with PHEU youth in only one verbal recognition task, with a difference in mean changes for PHIV/non-C versus PHEU of -0.99 (95% CI: -1.80 to -0.19; P = 0.02). Among youth with PHIV, better immunologic status at baseline was positively associated with follow-up measures of verbal recall and recognition and cognitive inhibition/flexibility. Past AIDS-defining diagnoses and higher peak viral load were associated with lower performance across multiple EF tasks at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Youth with PHIV demonstrated stable memory and EF during a 2-year period of adolescence, allowing cautious optimism regarding long-term outcomes.

Three sides to a story: Child, parent, and nurse perspectives on the child's experience during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The experience of children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), including the ways in which different participants (ie, children, parents, and nurses) contribute to the overall picture of a child's experience, is poorly characterized. This study evaluated parent, child, and nurse perspectives on the experience of children during HSCT and factors contributing to interrater differences. METHODS: Participants were enrolled in a multicenter, prospective study evaluating child and parent health-related quality of life over the year after HSCT. Children (n = 165) and their parents and nurses completed the Behavioral, Affective, and Somatic Experiences Scale (BASES) at baseline (before/during conditioning), 7 days after the stem cell infusion (day+7), and 21 days after the stem cell infusion (day+21). The BASES domains included Somatic Distress, Mood Disturbance, Cooperation, and Getting Along. Higher scores indicated more distress/impairment. Repeated measures models by domain assessed differences by raters and changes over time and identified other factors associated with raters' scores. RESULTS: Completion rates were high (≥73% across times and raters). Multivariate models revealed significant time-rater interactions, which varied by domain. For example, parent-rated Somatic Distress scores increased from baseline to day+7 and remained elevated at day+21 (P < .001); children's scores were lower than parents' scores across time points. Nurses' baseline scores were lower than parents' baseline scores, although by day+21 they were similar. Older child age was associated with higher Somatic Distress and Mood Disturbance scores. Worse parent emotional functioning was associated with lower scores across raters and domains except for Cooperation. CONCLUSIONS: Multirater assessments are highly feasible during HSCT. Ratings differ by several factors; considering ratings in light of such factors may deepen our understanding of the child's experience. Cancer 2017;123:3159-66. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Predictors of Suboptimal Follow-up in Pediatric Cancer Survivors.

Attendance to follow-up care after completion of cancer treatment is an understudied area. We examined demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic predictors of follow-up by pediatric cancer patients at a large center in 442 newly diagnosed patients using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Patients who did not return to clinic for at least 1000 days were considered lost to follow-up. Two hundred forty-two (54.8%) patients were lost. In multivariable analyses, the following variables were independent predictors of being lost to follow-up: treatment with surgery alone (odds ratio [OR]=6.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.1-14.9), older age at diagnosis (reference, 0 to 4; ages, 5 to 9: OR=1.8, 95% CI, 1.1-3; ages, 10 to 14: OR=3.3; CI, 1.8-6.1; and ages, 15 and above: OR=4.8; CI, 2.1-11.7), lack of history of stem cell transplantation (OR=2, 95% CI, 1.04-3.7) and lack of insurance (OR=3.4; CI, 1.2-9.2). Hispanic patients had the best follow-up rates (53.7%) compared to whites and blacks (P=0.03). Attendance to long-term follow-up care is suboptimal in childhood cancer survivors. Predictors that were associated with nonattendance can be used to design targeted interventions to improve follow-up care for survivors of pediatric cancer.

Associations of Memory and Executive Functioning With Academic and Adaptive Functioning Among Youth With Perinatal HIV Exposure and/or Infection.

BACKGROUND: Perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV) confers risk for neurocognitive impairment, which potentially affects school performance and functional independence of infected children. In this study, we examined the associations of 2 key neurocognitive domains, memory and executive function (EF), with academic and adaptive skills among youth with PHIV and perinatally HIV-exposed but uninfected (PHEU) youth. METHODS: Participants ages 9 to <19 years enrolled in the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study's Memory and Executive Functioning Study completed standardized measures of reading and math. The primary caregivers completed a standardized measure of their child's adaptive behavior. Participants with PHIV, those with (PHIV/C) and without (PHIV/non-C) a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention class C diagnosis, and PHEU participants were compared. Retrospective memory (RM), prospective memory (PM), and EF were evaluated relative to outcomes using general linear regression models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Of the participants (N = 258; mean age, 14.1 years), 46% were male, 75% were black, and 18% were Hispanic. Adjusted mean scores in math and adaptive behavior did not differ among the youth with PHIV/C (n = 45), those with PHIV/non-C (n = 128), and PHEU youth (n = 85). Youth with PHIV/C had lower adjusted mean reading scores than PHIV/non-C and PHEU youth (86.9 vs 93.8 [P = .02] and 93.2 [P = .04], respectively). There were positive associations of RM, PM, EF, and some sociodemographic characteristics with higher reading and math scores. Immediate and delayed verbal memory, delayed visual memory, PM, and some EF measures were positively associated with adaptive behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Higher-order cognitive abilities such as memory and EF seem to play a key role in academic and adaptive capacities, regardless of a child's HIV status, and might serve as intervention targets for improving functional outcomes.

Antiretroviral Drug Resistance Among Children and Youth in the United States With Perinatal HIV.

Among 234 US youths with perinatal human immunodeficiency virus, 75% had antiretroviral resistance, substantially higher than that of the reference laboratory overall (36%-44%). Resistance to newer antiretrovirals and to all antiretrovirals in a class was uncommon. The only factor independently associated with future resistance was a higher peak viral load.

Neurocognitive Predictors of Academic Outcomes Among Childhood Leukemia Survivors.

BACKGROUND: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common pediatric cancer, and survival approaches 90%. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors are more likely than healthy peers or siblings to experience academic underachievement, yet little is known about neurocognitive predictors of academic outcomes. OBJECTIVES: Objectives were to compare neurocognitive abilities to age-adjusted standardized norms, examine change over time in neurocognitive abilities, and establish neurocognitive predictors of academic outcomes. METHODS: Seventy-one children were followed over the course of therapy. Cognitive abilities were assessed during induction when the child was in remission (baseline) and annually for 3 years (years 1, 2, and 3). Reading and mathematics abilities were assessed at year 3. RESULTS: Fine motor dexterity was significantly below age-adjusted norms at all data points but showed improvement over time. Baseline visual-motor integration was within the reference range but significantly declined by year 3, and mean scores at years 2 and 3 were significantly below age-adjusted norms. Verbal short-term memory was significantly below age-adjusted norms at all assessments. Visual-motor integration predicted reading and mathematics abilities. Verbal short-term memory predicted reading abilities, and visual short-term memory predicted mathematics abilities. CONCLUSIONS: Central nervous system-directed therapy is associated with specific neurocognitive problems. Visual-spatial skills and verbal and visual short-term memory predict academic outcomes. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Early assessment of visual-spatial perception and short-term memory can identify children at risk of academic problems. Children who are at risk of academic problems could benefit from a school-based individual educational program and/or educational intervention.