Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients With Spina Bifida in Texas by Patient Age.

INTRODUCTION: Spina bifida (SB) occurs in 3.5/10,000 live births and is associated with significant long-term neurologic and urologic morbidity. We explored the characteristics and outcomes of pediatric patients with SB and the facilities that treat them in Texas. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed a statewide hospital inpatient discharge database (2013-2021) to identify patients aged <18 y with SB using International Classification of Diseases 9/10 codes. Patients transferred to outside hospitals were excluded to avoid double-counting. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test were performed. RESULTS: Seven thousand five hundred thirty one inpatient hospitalizations with SB were analyzed. Most SB care is provided by a few facilities. Two facilities (1%) averaged >100 SB admissions per year (33% of patients), while 15 facilities (8%) treat 10-100 patients per year (51% of patients). Most facilities (145/193, 75%) average less than one patient per year. Infants tended to be sicker (17% extreme illness severity, P < 0.001). Overall mortality is low (1%), primarily occurring in the neonatal period (8%, P < 0.001). Most admissions are associated with surgical intervention, with 63% of encounters having operating room charges with an average cost of $25,786 ± 24,884. Admissions for spinal procedures were more common among infants, whereas admissions for genitourinary procedures were more common among older patients (P < 0.001). The average length of stay was 8 ± 16 d with infants having the longest length of stay (19 ± 33, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients have significant long-term health needs with evolving pediatric surgical indications as they grow. Pediatric SB care is primarily provided by a small number of facilities in Texas. Longitudinal care coordination of their multidisciplinary surgical care is needed to optimize patient care.

Treatment Facility Case Volume and Disparities in Outcomes of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Cases.

INTRODUCTION: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a life-threatening, prenatally diagnosed congenital anomaly. We aim to characterize care and outcomes of infants with CDH in Texas and the impact of treating facilities volume of care. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study using a state-wide Hospital Inpatient Discharge Public Use Data File was conducted (2013-2021). Neonates and infants <1 year of age were included using CDH ICD-9/ICD-10 codes. Neonates transferred to an outside hospital were excluded to avoid double-counting. Descriptive statistics, chi-square and logistic regression analysis were performed. RESULTS: Of 1314 CDH patient encounters identified, 728 (55%) occurred at 5 higher volume centers (HVC, >75 cases), 326 (25%) at 9 mid-volume centers (MVC, 20-75 cases) and 268 (20%) at 79 low volume centers (LVC, <20 cases). HVC had lower mortality rates (18%, MVC 22% vs LVC 27%; p = 0.011) despite treating sicker patients (extreme illness severity: HVC 71%, MVC 62% vs LVC 50%; p < 0.001) with longer length-of-stay (p < 0.001). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was used in 136 (10%) and provided primarily at HVC. LVC treated proportionately more non-white Hispanic patients (p < 0.001) and patients from counties along the Mexican border (p < 0.001). The predicted probability of mortality in CDH patients decreases with higher treatment facility CDH case volume, with a 0.5% decrease in the odds of mortality for every additional CDH case treated (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated in HVC have significantly lower mortality despite increased severity. Our data suggest minority populations may be disproportionately treated at LVC associated with worse outcomes. TYPE OF STUDY: Retrospective Prognosis Study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II.

Surfactant Therapy in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia and Fetoscopic Endoluminal Tracheal Occlusion.

INTRODUCTION: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a complex pathology with severe pulmonary morbidity. Administration of surfactant in CDH is controversial, and the advent of fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO) has added further complexity. While FETO has been shown to improve survival outcomes, there are risks of prematurity and potential surfactant deficiency. We aim to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of surfactant administration for CDH infants and elucidate potential benefits or risks in this unique population. METHODS: A single-center retrospective cohort review of patients with unilateral CDH from September 2015 to July 2022 was performed. Demographics, prognostic perinatal imaging features, and outcomes were collected. Patients were stratified by surfactant administration and history of FETO. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, two-sample t-tests, chi-squared analyses, and logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 105 included patients, 19 (18%) underwent FETO and 25 (24%) received surfactant. Overall, surfactant recipients were born at earlier gestational ages and lower birthweights regardless of FETO history. Surfactant recipients possessed significantly worse prenatal prognostic features such as observed to expected total fetal lung volume, observed to expected lung to head ratio, and percent liver herniation. In CDH patients without FETO history, surfactant recipients demonstrated worse outcomes than nonrecipients. This association is notably absent in the FETO population, where surfactant recipients have more favorable survival and comparable outcomes. When controlling for defect severity or surfactant usage, as a proxy for respiratory status, surfactant recipients that underwent FETO trended toward improved survival and decreased ECMO use. CONCLUSIONS: Surfactant administration is not associated with increased morbidity and mortality and may be beneficial in CDH patients that have undergone FETO.

Management and Outcomes of Patients With High-Risk (Congenital Lung Malformation Volume Ratio≥ 1.6) Congenital Lung Malformations.

INTRODUCTION: Congenital lung malformations (CLMs) have a variable natural history. Larger lesions with CLM volume ratio (CVR) ≥ 1.6 are associated with hydrops and fetal mortality. The purpose of this study is to describe the management and outcomes of high-risk (CVR ≥ 1.6) CLM patients. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed for all fetuses evaluated between May 2015 and May 2022. Demographics, prenatal imaging factors, prenatal and postnatal treatment, and outcomes were collected. Descriptive statistics were used to compare the cohorts. RESULTS: Of 149 fetal CLM patients referred to our fetal center, 21/149 (14%) had CVR ≥ 1.6. One CLM patient had intrauterine fetal demise, and 2 patients were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 18 patients, 11/18 (67%) received maternal steroids. Seven out of 18 patients (39%) underwent resection at the time of delivery with 1/7 (14%) undergoing exutero intrapartum treatment (EXIT)-to-resection, 5/7 (71%) undergoing EXIT-to-exteriorization-to-resection, and 1/7 (14%) undergoing a coordinated delivery to resection; among those undergoing resection, there were 2 fatalities (28.5%). Seven out of 18 (39%) patients required urgent neonatal open lobectomies, and the remaining 4/18 (22%) patients underwent elective thoracoscopic lobectomies with no mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The natural history and outcomes of severe CLM patients remain highly variable. The EXIT-to-exteriorization-to-resection procedure may be a safe and effective approach for a subset of CLM patients with persistent symptoms of mass effect and severe mediastinal shift due to the observed decreased operative time requiring placental support observed in our study.

Predictors of mortality following electrical and lightning injuries in Malawi: A decade of experience.

INTRODUCTION: Electrical injuries can be devastating, and data is lacking in low-resource settings. We aimed to identify predictors of mortality following electrical and lightning injuries (ELI) in Malawi. METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational study of patients presenting with ELI and burn injuries at a tertiary hospital in Malawi from 2011 to 2020. Outcomes were compared and predictors of mortality were modeled. RESULTS: A total of 382 ELI and 6371 burn patients were included. The mean ages for ELI and burn groups were 24 ± 14 and 11 ± 14 years, respectively (p < 0.01). Most patients were injured at home (91% in the burn group versus 51% in the ELI group, p < 0.01). The crude mortality rate in the ELI group was 28%, compared to 12% in the burn group (p < 0.01). On multivariate logistic regression, predictors of mortality included ELI (odds ratio [OR] 13.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.2-24.5) and total body surface area burned (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.1-1.1). Predicted mortality for ELI has increased over time (p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ELI confers more than 13 times higher odds of mortality than burn injuries in Malawi, with mortality risk increasing over time. More efforts are needed to prevent electrical hazards and implement timely interventions for patients with ELI.

Novel Clinical Algorithm for Prenatal Monitoring of Congenital Lung Malformations.

INTRODUCTION: Congenital lung malformations (CLMs) are readily identified early in pregnancy with a variable natural history. Monitoring for lesion size and mediastinal shift (MS) is recommended following diagnosis. The purpose of this study is to propose a risk-stratified clinical algorithm for prenatal monitoring of CLM. METHODS: After ethical approval, all fetuses with CLMs evaluated at our fetal center from January 2015 to June 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics, imaging characteristics, and fetal interventions were collected. Lesions were stratified by congenital lung malformation volume ratio (CVR) and the presence of MS. Descriptive statistics and receiver operating characteristic curves were employed in the analysis. RESULTS: We analyzed 111 patients with a mean of 23.4 wk gestational age, a median CVR of 0.5 (interquartile range, 0.3-1.2), and MS in 76 of 111(68%) patients on initial evaluation. Among low-risk patients (CVR ≤1.1), 96% remained low-risk on final evaluation. No patients transitioned from low to high risk during the growth period. Patients with CVR >1.1 often had persistent MS (P < 0.001). Hydrops (5/111, 5%) and fetal intervention (4/111, 4%) only occurred in patients with CVR >1.1 (P < 0.001, P = 0.002) and MS (P = 0.144, P = 0.214). On receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, initial CVR >1.1 had 100% sensitivity and negative predictive value for hydrops and fetal intervention. CONCLUSIONS: CLMs with initial CVR ≤1.1 are low risk for hydrops and fetal intervention. We propose a risk-stratified algorithm for the monitoring of CLM during the growth period based on CVR. While our experience suggests that patients with CLM and MS are at higher risk, the current subjective assessment of MS is not adequately predictive. Incorporating an MS grading system may further refine risk stratification in the management of CLM.

Maternal Anxiety and Empowerment in Pregnancies Complicated By Fetal Surgical Anomalies: A Mixed Methods Study.

INTRODUCTION: Fetal surgical anomalies cause significant anxiety. Following the diagnosis, prenatal counseling with shared decision-making occurs. Empowerment is an essential component of shared decision-making. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to evaluate the association between patient empowerment with depression and anxiety among patients with fetal surgical anomalies. METHODS: An explanatory mixed-methods study was conducted at a large tertiary fetal center among patients with recently diagnosed surgical fetal anomalies from May, 2021 to May, 2022. Validated cross-sectional surveys were used to collect quantitative data regarding patient empowerment, depression, and anxiety. Univariate analysis was used to compare the association of maternal empowerment with depression and anxiety. Qualitative data was obtained from semistructured interviews to explore maternal anxiety and depression relative to the fetal diagnosis. Thematic analysis was performed to identify themes. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients were recruited for the quantitative study. Pregnancy-related empowerment score and patient empowerment score were significantly lower for expectant mothers with high anxiety (P < 0.01). Eighteen patients participated in qualitative interviews. Participants expressed significant anxiety related to their fetal diagnosis. Exacerbating stressors included social determinants, personal history of miscarriage, and changing family dynamics. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest there is an association between increased depression and anxiety with lower empowerment. These findings have important implications for prenatal counseling, as targeted interventions to improve psychosocial support to treat depression and anxiety might also improve empowerment.

Arrhythmias in Critically Ill Surgical and Non-surgical Patients: A National Propensity-Matched Study.

BACKGROUND: Arrhythmias are common in critically ill patients, though the impact of arrhythmias on surgical patients is not well delineated. We aimed to characterize mortality following arrhythmias in critically ill patients. METHODS: We performed a propensity-matched retrospective analysis of intensive care unit (ICU) patients from 2007 to 2017 in the Cerner Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation database. We compared outcomes between patients with and without arrhythmias and those with and without surgical indications for ICU admission. We also modeled predictors of arrhythmias in surgical patients. RESULTS: 467,951 patients were included; 97,958 (20.9%) were surgical patients. Arrhythmias occurred in 1.4% of the study cohorts. Predictors of arrhythmias in surgical patients included a history of cardiovascular disease (odds ratio [OR] 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI95] 1.11-1.63), respiratory failure (OR 1.48, CI95 1.12-1.96), pneumonia (OR 3.17, CI95 1.98-5.10), higher bicarbonate level (OR 1.03, CI95 1.01-1.05), lower albumin level (OR 0.79, CI95 0.68-0.91), and vasopressor requirement (OR 27.2, CI95 22.0-33.7). After propensity matching, surgical patients with arrhythmias had a 42% mortality risk reduction compared to non-surgical patients (risk ratio [RR] 0.58, CI 95 0.43-0.79). Predicted probabilities of mortality for surgical patients were lower at all ages. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical patients with arrhythmias are at lower risk of mortality than non-surgical patients. In this propensity-matched analysis, predictors of arrhythmias in critically ill surgical patients included a history of cardiovascular disease, respiratory complications, increased bicarbonate levels, decreased albumin levels, and vasopressor requirement. These findings highlight the differential effect of arrhythmias on different cohorts of critically ill populations.

[Reversibility of frailty in elderly patients thanks to a multicomponent training programme]. / Réversibilité de la fragilité chez des patients âgés grâce à un programme d'entraînement multicomposante.

A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a multi-component training program with strength machines on physical performance and reversibility of frailty in elderly people. At the end of the program, a significant increase in physical performance was observed and there was a significant decrease in frailty.

Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury in Malawi: A Propensity-Weighted Analysis of Outcomes and Trends Over Time.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric injuries contribute to substantial mortality and morbidity worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. We aim to identify predictors of mortality and time trends for pediatric traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in Malawi. METHODS: We performed a propensity-matched analysis of data from the trauma registry at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Malawi from 2008 to 2021. All children ≤16 years of age were included. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Outcomes were compared between patients with and without head injuries. RESULTS: A cohort of 54,878 patients was included, with 1755 having TBI. The mean ages of patients with and without TBI were 7.8 ± 7.8 years and 7.1 ± 4.5 years, respectively. The most common mechanism for patients with and without TBI was road traffic injury and falls, respectively (48.2% vs. 47.8%, P < 0.01). The crude mortality rate for the TBI cohort was 20.9% compared to 2.0% in the non-TBI cohort (P < 0.01). After propensity matching, patients with TBI had 4.7 higher odds of mortality (95% confidence interval 1.9-11.8). Over time, patients with TBI had an increasing predicted probability of mortality for all age categories, with the most significant increase among children younger than 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: TBI confers a greater than 4-fold higher likelihood of mortality in this pediatric trauma population in a low-resource setting. These trends have worsened over time.

Association of Socioeconomic Status with Empowerment, Depression, and Anxiety in Pregnancies Complicated by Fetal Surgical Anomalies.

BACKGROUND: Women with pregnancies complicated by fetal surgical anomalies experience significant psychosocial burden. There remains a need to determine the impact that socioeconomic status has on maternal empowerment, anxiety, and depression. METHODS: A survey study was conducted from 5/2021-5/2022 to quantify empowerment, anxiety, and depression in women with fetal surgical anomalies. Surveys administered included Pregnancy Related Empowerment Scale (PRES), Patient Empowerment Scale (PES), State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). Two-sample t-test was used to compare survey scores across socioeconomic groups. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients were recruited. Mothers more commonly preferred English as primary language (n = 61, 82%) and were non-Hispanic (n = 43, 58%). Lower empowerment scores were observed in Hispanic mothers (PRES, p = 0.03; PES, p = 0.04) and mothers who preferred Spanish (PRES, p = 0.04; PES, p = 0.06) as primary language. Both non-Hispanic (p = 0.88) and English speaking (p = 0.75) women had higher STAI scores, but neither was significantly different. DASS was not significantly higher for Hispanic (p = 0.79) or Spanish speaking mothers (p = 0.47). CONCLUSION: Hispanic and Spanish speaking women with pregnancies complicated by fetal surgical anomalies have significantly decreased empowerment scores. These findings suggest a need for development of culturally competent, targeted interventions to improve maternal empowerment in this high-risk population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II. TYPE OF STUDY: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

Predictors of Poor Postoperative Outcomes in Pediatric Surgery Patients in Rural Ghana.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Perioperative complications cause significant pediatric morbidity and mortality in low- and lower middle -income countries. This study investigates factors associated with prolonged length of stay, 90-day readmission and in-hospital mortality among pediatric patients at Eastern Regional Hospital (ERH) in Ghana. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of perioperative morbidity and mortality in children < 18 years at ERH in Koforidua, Ghana. All pediatric surgeries performed between January 2015 and December 2017 were included in this study. Univariate analysis was performed using Pearson's chi-square tests or Fisher's exact tests. Variables that were significant on univariate analysis were included in multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for age and gender. RESULTS: We analyzed 468 patients < 18 years of age with a median length of stay (LOS) of 3 days. The 90-day readmission and in-hospital mortality rates were 138 and 17 per 1000 patients, respectively. The most common procedures were herniorrhaphy (19 %) and appendectomy (15 %). Gastrointestinal surgery, surgical trauma, surgical infection and lack of insurance were significantly associated with prolonged LOS. Young age and female gender were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. Malaria was significantly associated with 90-day readmission. CONCLUSIONS: Malaria infection is a significant risk factor for readmission, which should be investigated and treated in pediatric surgical patients in rural Ghana. Ensuring that all patients have insurance may result in shorter hospital stays. Provision of laparoscopic equipment may reduce hospital stays for patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. Expansion of the surgical work force, particularly pediatric surgeons, could improve perioperative survival in the very young population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective comparative study.

Risk factors of perioperative mortality from complicated peptic ulcer disease in Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: In 2013, peptic ulcer disease (PUD) caused over 300 000 deaths globally. Low-income and middle-income countries are disproportionately affected. However, there is limited information regarding risk factors of perioperative mortality rates in these countries. Objective: To assess perioperative mortality rates from complicated PUD in Africa and associated risk factors. Design: We performed a systematic review and a random-effect meta-analysis of literature describing surgical management of complicated PUD in Africa. We used subgroup analysis and meta-regression analyses to investigate sources of variations in the mortality rates and to assess the risk factors contributing to mortality. Results: From 95 published reports, 10 037 patients underwent surgery for complicated PUD. The majority of the ulcers (78%) were duodenal, followed by gastric (14%). Forty-one per cent of operations were for perforation, 22% for obstruction and 9% for bleeding. The operations consisted of vagotomy (38%), primary repair (34%), resection and reconstruction (12%), and drainage procedures (6%). The overall PUD mortality rate was 6.6% (95% CI 5.4% to 8.1%). It increased to 9.7% (95% CI 7.1 to 13.0) when we limited the analysis to studies published after the year 2000. The correlation was higher between perforated PUD and mortality rates (r=0.41, p<0.0001) than for bleeding PUD and mortality rates (r=0.32, p=0.001). Non-significant differences in mortality rates existed between sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and North Africa and within SSA. Conclusion: Perioperative mortality rates from complicated PUD in Africa are substantially high and could be increasing over time, and there are possible regional differences.