The impact of low birth weight, perinatal conditions, and sociodemographic factors on educational outcome in kindergarten.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relative effects and the impact of perinatal and sociodemographic risk factors on long-term morbidity within a total birth population in Florida. METHODS: School records for 339 171 children entering kindergarten in Florida public schools in the 1992-1993, 1993-1994, or 1994-1995 academic years were matched with Florida birth records from 1985 to 1990. Effects on long-term morbidity were assessed through a multivariate analysis of an educational outcome variable, defined as placement into 9 mutually exclusive categories in kindergarten. Of those categories, 7 were special education (SE) classifications determined by statewide standardized eligibility criteria, 1 was academic problems, and the reference category was regular classroom. Generalized logistic regression was used to simultaneously estimate the odds of placement in SE and academic problems. The impact of all risk factors was assessed via estimated attributable excess/deficit numbers, based on the multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Educational outcome was significantly influenced by both perinatal and sociodemographic factors. Perinatal factors had greater adverse effects on the most severe SE types, with birth weight <1000 g having the greatest effect. Sociodemographic predictors had greater effects on the mild educational disabilities. Because of their greater prevalence, the impact attributable to each of the factors (poverty, male gender, low maternal education, or non-white race) was between 5 and 10 times greater than that of low birth weight and >10 times greater than that of very low birth weight, presence of a congenital anomaly, or prenatal care. CONCLUSIONS: Results are consistent with the hypothesis that adverse perinatal conditions result in severe educational disabilities, whereas less severe outcomes are influenced by sociodemographic factors. Overall, sociodemographic factors have a greater total impact on adverse educational outcomes than perinatal factors.

Assessment and diagnostic utility of the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte phenotype using the specific markers granzyme-B and TIA-1 in esophageal mucosal biopsies.

Most esophageal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) express T-cell markers. Increased numbers of esophageal IELs have been shown in reflux esophagitis. The cytotoxic potential and activity of esophageal IELs have not as yet been examined. Our objectives were to determine whether esophageal IELs express the recently described cytotoxic T-cell (CTLs) markers, TIA-1 and granzyme-B, and whether the number of CTLs correlates with well-defined endoscopic, clinical, and histological features of esophagitis. In this study, most CD-3+ esophageal IELs exhibit the CD-8+/TIA-1+ T cell with cytotoxic potential phenotype in both histologically normal biopsy specimens and in biopsy specimens with esophagitis. A subpopulation of esophageal IELs that express cytotoxic activity was identified by granzyme-B immunostaining. A significant positive association was found between the number of esophageal IELs seen by light microscopy in biopsy specimens with histological features of reflux (21 IELs/HPF) and Candida esophagitis (31 IELs/HPF) as compared with normal-appearing biopsy specimens (10 IELs/HPF) (P< or =.05). Furthermore, the number of TIA-1 or granzyme-B-positive IELs were significantly increased in biopsy specimens with reflux esophagitis (34 and 15 cells/HPF) and Candida esophagitis (44 and 18 cells/HPF) as compared with normal (11 and 2 cells/HPF) (P< or =.05). Granzyme-B and CD-3-positive IELs were also significantly elevated in biopsy specimens with reflux-associated squamous hyperplasia (P< or =.05). Finally, biopsy specimens of patients with dysphagia and to a lesser extent dyspepsia/heartburn exhibited increased numbers of IELs bearing the cytotoxic phenotype when compared with asymptomatic patients. In conclusion, we provide immunohistochemical evidence that most esophageal IELs exhibit the cytotoxic phenotype and that activated cytotoxic IELs are increased in reflux and Candida esophagitis.

An index for early assessment of neonatal survival in low birthweight infants.

Since its development in the 1950s, the Apgar index has come into widespread use as a tool to evaluate neonatal condition, with predictive implications for mortality and morbidity. However, Apgar scores were validated in predominantly term infants and have questionable prognostic value for low birthweight infants. The purpose of this study was to develop a survival index applicable to premature infants. Thirty-six perinatal variables were evaluated initially, based on data from 441 neonates weighing 500 to 1800 g. A multifactorial index of nine variables was derived, each independently related to mortality. Sensitivity of the index was 95%, specificity was 68%, positive predictive value was 90%, and negative predictive value was 81%. This index provides the most accurate tool yet reported in the literature for predicting concurrent survival of premature infants. The tool is recommended for use as an index of neonatal condition for low birthweight infants. Its additional use, as a predictor of the likelihood of survival would require time and place specific validation.

Hepatic adenoma in the pediatric age group. Clinicopathological observations and assessment of cell proliferative activity.

The clinicopathological findings of eight children with hepatic adenoma in the absence of cirrhosis are presented. The lesions ranged in diameter from 0.1 to 14.5 cm. Associated disorders were Fanconi's anemia, type I glycogen storage disease. Hurler's disease, and severe combined immunodeficiency with ADA deficiency. The remaining three children had adenoma without known associated disorders. In the children with glycogenosis and Hurler's disease the adenomas were multiple. Significant dysplasia occurred in the two children with Fanconi's anemia; however, the lesions behaved in a benign fashion--one with regression of the tumor after cessation of androgen therapy and the other with nonrecurrence after complete resection. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) labeling index (LI) of the adenoma arising in patients with Fanconi's anemia was significantly greater than the PCNA-LI of adenoma in the other children (mean 4.1% versus 0.9% of nuclei), approaching the lower end of the spectrum for reported hepatocellular carcinoma cases. We emphasize that the worrisome pathology that may occur in hepatic adenoma in children, particularly with Fanconi's anemia, does not necessarily predict malignant behavior. The association of hepatic adenoma with Hurler's disease or severe combined immunodeficiency has not been reported previously.

Educational outcome of neonatal intensive care graduates.

Studies of developmental outcome of neonatal intensive care unit graduates have generally been limited to the first 2 to 3 years of life, with outcome determined by psychometric tests. This study followed neonatal intensive care unit graduates born 1975 through 1983 (n = 457) into the public school system and compared their educational outcomes with those of newborn nursery graduates (n = 656). Outcomes were evaluated by placement in four academic categories: regular classroom, academic problems, speech/language impairment, and major impairment. Educational outcomes for children of both groups were essentially the same. Their placement in the four academic categories were equally affected by nonmedical variables, primarily income (below/above poverty level), race, and sex. Seventy percent of poverty-level children were in one of the three problem categories, compared with 40% of children above poverty level. Neither neonatal intensive care unit treatment nor low birth weight were major predictors of educational outcome. The only clear-cut neonatal intensive care unit effect occurred among children born with sensory or physical impairments. Therefore, in order to reduce poor educational outcomes, follow-up and intervention programs should be targeted primarily to children with diagnosable handicaps and from minority, low-income families.

Prospective pricing model for neonatologists and obstetricians in tertiary care centers.

According to the new federal diagnosis-related group (DRG) system, hospitals are reimbursed fixed sums based on discharge diagnoses, rather than variable sums that depend on specific goods and services consumed and number of days hospitalized. The government is now exploring DRGs as a potential mechanism for reimbursing physicians. In Florida, two DRG-type reimbursement systems were developed for neonatal and obstetrical hospitalizations in tertiary care settings, as departures from the federal DRG system. Called neonatal care groups (NCGs) and obstetrical care groups (OBCGs), both classification systems predicted hospital charges in these settings more accurately than did federal DRGs. The feasibility of a prospective pricing system for neonatologists and obstetricians based on NCGs and OBCGs was investigated. The data showed that neonatologists' charges had a high correlation with hospital charges (r = .90) and that increasing levels of intensity of care as defined by the NCGs were reflected by consistent increases in reimbursement to neonatologists. If the NCG system were to be applied, neonatologists would receive compensation equivalent to that which they currently earn according to the fee-for-service system. In contrast, obstetricians' charges bore almost no relationship to hospital charges. However, modest differences in obstetrician's charges did emerge as a reflection of number of complications, which are incorporated into the OBCG categories; this suggests that a reimbursement system based on hospital OBCG categories might be applied to obstetricians.

Prospective pricing system by diagnosis-related groups: comparison of federal diagnosis-related groups with high-risk obstetric care groups.

Of 468 diagnosis-related groups identified by the federal government for Medicaid reimbursement, 15 are related to obstetric hospital care. Each diagnosis-related group is considered a distinct group in which cases are homogeneous with respect to resource consumption. Because the diagnosis-related group system is based primarily on data from community and secondary care hospitals, it does not differentiate sufficiently among high-risk obstetric patients seen at tertiary care institutions, such as Florida's Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Centers. We developed an alternative scheme for diagnosis-related groups, called obstetric care groups, using the federal diagnosis-related groups as the model from which to depart. Data collected for 4192 women during a 2 1/2-year period indicate that obstetric care groups provide more homogeneous groups than diagnosis-related groups for our population of high-risk patients. The obstetric care groups differentiate between no complications, one complication, and two or more complications, while the diagnosis-related groups differentiate only between no complications and one or more complications. Also, complications for obstetric care groups are based on only 19 diagnoses that contribute significantly to resource consumption, while the list of possible complications exceeds 200 for diagnosis-related groups. Although the obstetric care group classification system is simpler than that for diagnosis-related groups, it results in a more accurate reimbursement of hospitalization charges for high-risk obstetric care.

Prospective pricing system for tertiary neonatal intensive care.

This study assessed the potential impact of the federal neonatal diagnosis-related group (DRG) pricing system upon reimbursement to a state neonatal intensive care program. Data for length of intensive care unit stay, procedures, hospital charges, and audited cost reports from the state of Florida's ten regional neonatal intensive care centers were analyzed for 8,492 neonates whose charges totaled $118 million. Mean lengths of stay in these tertiary care centers were substantially longer than those reported for the federal DRGs, which were based on community hospital data. If federal DRG-based reimbursement to hospitals were implemented in Florida's perinatal intensive care program, compensation would range from 9% to 56% of actual hospital care charges. Federal DRG price rates were not predictive of hospital charges. Only 16% of the total variation in hospital charges was explained by differences among federal DRG rates (R2 = .16). Analysis of data by major determinants of resource consumption provided groups more homogeneous with respect to hospital charges and, hence, cost. Therefore, we developed a prospective pricing system that used modifications of federal newborn DRG system. These modifications resulted in a threefold increase in R2 (.52). Our proposed system permits prediction of cost and reimbursement for infants by three criteria: birth weight, need for mechanical ventilation and/or major surgery, and survival status and length of survival for those who die.