A systematic review of paediatric neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction guidelines using the Appraisal of Guidelines and Research Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument.

OBJECTIVE: To examine and critique current international clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) on management of paediatric neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) and assess the applicability of these guidelines to clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of all CPGs on NLUTD published in English from the year 2010 to 2022. Six reviewers independently used the Appraisal of Guidelines and Research Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument to appraise all eligible CPGs. This instrument is comprised of 23 items organised into six quality domains. The scores for each item and domain were tabulated for each reviewer and interrater reliability was assessed for each domain using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: Six CPGs were appraised and these included: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), European Society for Paediatric Urology, International Children's Continence Society, Irish, Spina Bifida Association (SBA), and International Brazilian Journal of Urology guidelines. They had high mean standardised scores in the domain on 'scope and purpose' and 'clarity of presentation' but had low scores in the domain of 'applicability'. The top three CPGs based on overall score were the NICE, Irish and SBA guidelines and the reviewers had high degree of interrater reliability (ICC 0.912, P < 0.001). The mean scores in various domains for the top three guidelines were 95.8 (scope and purpose), 87.5 (stakeholder involvement), 69.1 (rigour of development), 94.0 (clarity of presentation), 68.4 (applicability), and 59.7 (editorial independence). The diagnostic and treatment recommendations of the top three guidelines were presented. CONCLUSION: The existing CPGs on paediatric NLUTD provide high-quality evidence based recommendations. The NICE, Irish and SBA guidelines were the top three CPGs identified. They scored high on most domains except applicability and editorial independence. These domains need to be considered for future updates to improve the utility.

Do larger cuff sizes with artificial urinary sphincter placement increase the risk of leakage after placement?

INTRODUCTION: To determine whether larger artificial urinary sphincters (AUS) cuff sizes of ≥ 5.0 cm have an impact on urinary incontinence after AUS implantation as compared to cuff sizes ≤ 4.5 cm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review of AUS implants performed at our institution from 1991 to 2021. Medical records were reviewed for demographics including body mass index (BMI), cause of incontinence, pelvic radiation, valsalva leak point pressure (VLPP), degree of leakage preoperatively and at 1-year post-AUS surgery, AUS revisions, erosion rate and the need for adjunct medication postoperatively. RESULTS: A total of 110 patients were included in the analysis. Of these, 44 patients had an AUS cuff size of ≥ 5.0 cm and 66 patients had a cuff size ≤ 4.5 cm. After AUS implantation at 1 year both groups had a median pad use of 1 pad per day. Lastly, the erosion rate was higher in the ≤ 4.5 cm cuff group (7.7% vs. 2.4%) but this was not statically significant. In all cases (6 patients) of cuff erosion, each patient had been radiated. CONCLUSION: AUS cuff sizes of ≥ 5.0 cm do not appear to have a negative impact on the degree of incontinence at 1-year post AUS as compared to those with cuff sizes ≤ 4.5 cm. The erosion rate was higher in those with cuffs ≤ 4.5 cm but was not statistically significant. This would suggest that at AUS implantation, the surgeon should choose a larger cuff if there is any doubt especially in those with radiation.

Quality Indicators for Youth Transitioning to Adult Care: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Transition from pediatric to adult care is associated with adverse health outcomes for many adolescents with chronic illness. We identified quality indicators for transition to adult care that are broadly applicable across chronic illnesses and health systems. METHODS: Medline, Embase, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature were searched, covering earliest available date to July 2021. The Gray Matters framework was used to search gray literature. Two independent reviewers screened articles by title and abstract, followed by full-text review. Disagreements were resolved by a third reviewer. Studies were included that identified quality indicators developed via consensus-building methods. Indicators were organized into a framework categorized by illness specificity, level of care, Donabedian model, and Institute of Medicine quality domain. Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation tool was used for critical appraisal. RESULTS: The search identified 4581 articles, of which 321 underwent full-text review. Eight peer-reviewed studies and 1 clinical guideline were included, identifying 169 quality indicators for transition. Of these, 56% were illness specific, 43% were at the patient level of care, 44% related to transition processes, and 51% were patient centered and 0% equity focused. Common indicator themes included education (12%), continuity of care (8%), satisfaction (8%), and self-management/self-efficacy (7%). The study was limited by quality indicators developed through consensus-building methodology. CONCLUSIONS: Although most quality indicators for transition were patient-centered outcomes, few were informed by youth and parents/caregivers, and none focused on equity. Further work is needed to prioritize quality indicators across chronic illness populations while engaging youth and parents/caregivers in the process.

Utilization of the Glue-clot Technique for Removal of Small Lower Pole Calculi in Pediatric Patients: Case Series.

Glue-clot technique has been described as a method to remove small stone fragments in adults undergoing endourological management of renal calculi. In this case series, we share our experience of using this technique for retrieval of stone fragments in 4 children who underwent ureterorenoscopy. The fragments were mainly located in the lower calyces rendering stone extraction challenging. We were able to achieve complete clearance in all patients. This series represents the first use of glue-clot technique in pediatric ureterorenoscopy.

Quality indicators for transition from paediatric to adult care for adolescents with chronic physical and mental illness: protocol for a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Transition from paediatric to adult care is a complex process, which poses significant challenges for adolescents with chronic physical and mental illnesses. For many, transfer to adult care is associated with poor health and psychosocial outcomes. Quality indicators to evaluate transition to adult care are needed to benchmark and compare performance across conditions and health systems. This systematic review aims to identify quality indicators for successful transition to adult care which can be applied across chronic physical and/or mental illnesses. METHODS: Published literature will be searched using MEDLINE, Embase and CINHAL from earliest available date to July 2021. Grey literature will be searched using the Grey Matters tool. Using a set of inclusion/exclusion criteria, two independent reviewers will screen titles and abstracts, followed by full-text review. Disagreements will be resolved by a third reviewer. Study selection and data extraction will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols. Study appraisal will be completed using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation for Quality Indicators instrument. Extracted quality indicators will be categorised into a conceptual framework. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Results from this review will offer novel insights into quality indicators that may be used to measure and evaluate transition success across conditions, which will be disseminated via a Canadian transition collaborative, workshops and peer-reviewed publication. Extracted quality indicators will be further prioritised in a Delphi study with patients, caregivers and providers. This is a critical step in developing a core set of metrics to evaluate transitions to adult care. Ethics approval is not required as this review will identify and synthesise findings from published literature. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020198030.

Varicoceles in the pediatric population: Diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes.

Varicocele is commonly encountered in adolescents. There are still many controversies regarding pathophysiology, health effects, clinical significance, and optimum treatment of this condition. This article reviews the current evidence pertaining to children and adolescents with varicocele. This group present a unique and somehow challenging situation, since they are still going through pubertal changes that may confound the effects of the disease and its treatment on the developing testes.

Benchtop and Initial Clinical Evaluation of the ShockPulse Stone Eliminator in Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy.

PURPOSE: Standardized bench testing of the new ShockPulse™ intracorporeal lithotripter was performed against three commercially available lithotripsy systems to determine differences and nuances in performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ShockPulse intracorporeal lithotripter was tested against the LUS-2™, CyberWand,™ and EMS LithoClast™ in a standardized bench setting using hard (Ultracal-30) and soft (plaster of Paris) stone phantoms. An in vitro kidney model was used to record the time needed to fragment stone samples into retrievable-sized pieces. The time needed to fully comminute and evacuate stone samples was also recorded. The efficacy of each device at various applied pressures was determined using a hands-free apparatus, which was used to apply 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 pounds of fixed force. RESULTS: For hard and soft stones, the time needed to create retrievable fragments was similar among all systems (p = 0.585). The ShockPulse was significantly faster than the LUS-2 and LithoClast at fully fragmenting and evacuating stone samples (p = 0.046), while the CyberWand was significantly slower than all three systems at this task (p = 0.001). When fixed forces were applied to a large stone phantom, the ShockPulse and CyberWand were significantly faster than the LUS-2 and LithoClast (p < 0.0001). When groups of smaller stones were tested, the ShockPulse was significantly faster at 1.0 pound (p < 0.001) and 1.5 pounds (p < 0.002) of force. At 2.0 pounds, no differences were observed (p = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS: The ShockPulse is equally as effective and, in some circumstances, more effective than the three commercially available devices against which it was tested in an in vitro setting.

A GIP receptor agonist exhibits beta-cell anti-apoptotic actions in rat models of diabetes resulting in improved beta-cell function and glycemic control.

AIMS: The gastrointestinal hormone GIP promotes pancreatic islet function and exerts pro-survival actions on cultured beta-cells. However, GIP also promotes lipogenesis, thus potentially restricting its therapeutic use. The current studies evaluated the effects of a truncated GIP analog, D-Ala(2)-GIP(1-30) (D-GIP(1-30)), on glucose homeostasis and beta-cell mass in rat models of diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The insulinotropic and pro-survival potency of D-GIP(1-30) was evaluated in perfused pancreas preparations and cultured INS-1 beta-cells, respectively, and receptor selectivity evaluated using wild type and GIP receptor knockout mice. Effects of D-GIP(1-30) on beta-cell function and glucose homeostasis, in vivo, were determined using Lean Zucker rats, obese Vancouver diabetic fatty rats, streptozotocin treated rats, and obese Zucker diabetic fatty rats, with effects on beta-cell mass determined in histological studies of pancreatic tissue. Lipogenic effects of D-GIP(1-30) were evaluated on cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes. RESULTS: Acutely, D-GIP(1-30) improved glucose tolerance and insulin secretion. Chronic treatment with D-GIP(1-30) reduced levels of islet pro-apoptotic proteins in Vancouver diabetic fatty rats and preserved beta-cell mass in streptozotocin treated rats and Zucker diabetic fatty rats, resulting in improved insulin responses and glycemic control in each animal model, with no change in body weight. In in vitro studies, D-GIP(1-30) exhibited equivalent potency to GIP(1-42) on beta-cell function and survival, but greatly reduced action on lipoprotein lipase activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that truncated forms of GIP exhibit potent anti-diabetic actions, without pro-obesity effects, and that the C-terminus contributes to the lipogenic actions of GIP.