Evaluating a handbook for parents of children with food allergy: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Educational materials are needed to support parent management of and coping with childhood food allergy. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether a food allergy handbook can improve parental knowledge, confidence, and quality of life associated with the management of food allergy. METHODS: Participants included 153 parents of children diagnosed as having food allergy within the past 12 months who were recruited from hospital-based allergy clinics and food allergy organizations. Parents were randomly assigned to receive the food allergy handbook either after a baseline survey (handbook group) or at the conclusion of study participation (control group). Outcomes were assessed using online surveys at baseline, 2-week follow-up, and 2-month follow-up. RESULTS: Compared with parents in the control group, parents in the handbook group had significantly greater improvement in knowledge at the 2-week (mean difference, 2.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.20-3.64; P < .001) and 2-month (mean difference, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.68-3.25; P < .001) follow-ups, significantly greater improvement in confidence at the 2-week (mean difference, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.09-0.39; P = .002) and 2-month (mean difference, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.30-0.63; P < .001) follow-ups, and significantly greater improvement in quality of life at the 2-month follow-up (mean difference, -0.48; 95% CI, -0.79 to -0.16; P = .004). Parents reported satisfaction with the content the handbook, with mean ratings of individual sections ranging from 2.7 to 3.2 on a 0- to 4-point scale and modal ratings of 3 (very useful). CONCLUSIONS: The food allergy handbook evaluated in this study is an effective parent resource to supplement physician management of food allergy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01914978.

Anterior-posterior dissociative slide facilitates the second stage of 3-stage forehead flap nasal reconstruction.

Pedicle-lining skin grafts contract between the first and second stage in a 3-stage forehead flap nasal reconstruction. The second stage involves an inherent reduction in vascularity due to the soft tissue thinning performed. The Anterior-Posterior Dissociative Slide restores first-stage pedicle length at the second stage. Incisions are made at the distal seam between the contracted graft and the pedicle tissue. The flap is then slid caudally relative to the fixed graft, thus relengthening the pedicle. This technique has been performed in 16 patients achieving an average length gain of 0.7 (+0.2) cm. The additional length created with the dissociative slide translates into reduced tension with flap reinset, thus increasing flap workability and overall artistry in the second stage.

Successful replantation of a portion of the upper and lower lip with the oral commissure.

The orofacial region consists of numerous structures that interact in an intricate and dynamic fashion with the oral commissure playing a central role in facial function, expression, and cosmesis. Traumatic amputations of this complex are rare. This case illustrates the successful replantation of portions of the right upper and lower lip with the oral commissure in a 6-year-old girl after traumatic amputation by a dog bite.

The role of epithelial progesterone receptor isoforms in embryo implantation.

The loss of uterine epithelial progesterone receptor (PGR) is crucial for successful embryo implantation in both humans and mice. The two major isoforms PGRA and PGRB have divergent functions under both physiological and pathological conditions. The present study compares phenotypes and gene signatures of PGRA and PGRB in uterine epithelium using uterine epithelial-specific constitutively expressed PGRA or PGRB mouse models. The cistrome and transcriptome analysis reveals substantial overlap between epithelial PGRA and PGRB, and both disrupt embryo implantation through FOXO1 pathways. Constitutive epithelial PGRA and PGRB expression impairs ESR1 occupancy at the promoter of Lif leading to reduced Lif transcription and further exaggerates SGK1 expression leading to enhanced PI3K-SGK1 activities, and both contribute to the decline of nuclear FOXO1 expression. Our study demonstrates that PGRA and PGRB in the uterine epithelium act on a similar set of target genes and commonly regulate the LIF-SGK1-FOXO1 signaling pathway for embryo implantation.

Restrictive Transfusion in Geriatric Trauma Patients.

To determine whether a restrictive strategy of red cell transfusion was safe in elderly trauma patients, we compared those treated with a restrictive transfusion strategy versus those who were liberally transfused. We performed a retrospective study of elderly (age ≥ 70 years) trauma patients admitted to our Level I trauma center from 2005 to 2013. Patients with a hemoglobin (Hg) < 10 g/dL after 48 hours were included. We excluded patients with an Injury Severity Score > 25 or active cardiac ischemia. Patients who were transfused for an Hg < 10 g/dL (liberal group) were compared to those who were transfused for an Hg< 7 g/dL (restrictive group). There were 382 patients included, 229 and 153 in the liberal and restrictive transfusion groups, respectively. All patients in the liberal group and 20 per cent of patients in the restrictive group received a transfusion (P < 0.0001). Patients in the liberal group had more overall complications (52 vs 32%, P = 0.0001). On multivariate analysis, receiving a transfusion was an independent risk factor to develop a complication [odds ratio = 2.3 (1.5-3.6), P < 0.0001]. For survivors, patients in the liberal group spent more days in the hospital (nine versus seven days, P = 0.007) and intensive care unit (two versus one day, P = 0.01). There was no difference in mortality (3 vs 4%, P = 0.82). In conclusion, restrictive transfusion appears to be safe in elderly trauma patients and may be associated with decreased complications and shortened length of stay.