Relationship of Neonatal Seizure Burden Before Treatment and Response to Initial Antiseizure Medication.

OBJECTIVE: To assess among a cohort of neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) the association of pretreatment maximal hourly seizure burden and total seizure duration with successful response to initial antiseizure medication (ASM). STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective review of data collected from infants enrolled in the HEAL Trial (NCT02811263) between January 25, 2017, and October 9, 2019. We evaluated a cohort of neonates born at ≥36 weeks of gestation with moderate-to-severe HIE who underwent continuous electroencephalogram monitoring and had acute symptomatic seizures. Poisson regression analyzed associations between (1) pretreatment maximal hourly seizure burden, (2) pretreatment total seizure duration, (3) time from first seizure to initial ASM, and (4) successful response to initial ASM. RESULTS: Among 39 neonates meeting inclusion criteria, greater pretreatment maximal hourly seizure burden was associated with lower chance of successful response to initial ASM (adjusted relative risk for each 5-minute increase in seizure burden 0.83, 95% CI 0.69-0.99). There was no association between pretreatment total seizure duration and chance of successful response. Shorter time-to-treatment was paradoxically associated with lower chance of successful response to treatment, although this difference was small in magnitude (relative risk 1.007, 95% CI 1.003-1.010). CONCLUSIONS: Maximal seizure burden may be more important than other, more commonly used measures in predicting response to acute seizure treatments.

Risk of seizures in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy receiving hypothermia plus erythropoietin or placebo.

BACKGROUND: An ancillary study of the High-Dose Erythropoietin for Asphyxia and Encephalopathy (HEAL) trial for neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and treated with therapeutic hypothermia examined the hypothesis that neonates randomized to receive erythropoietin (Epo) would have a lower seizure risk and burden compared with neonates who received placebo. METHODS: Electroencephalograms (EEGs) from 7/17 HEAL trial centers were reviewed. Seizure presence was compared across treatment groups using a logistic regression model adjusting for treatment, HIE severity, center, and seizure burden prior to the first dose. Among neonates with seizures, differences across treatment groups in median maximal hourly seizure burden were assessed using adjusted quantile regression models. RESULTS: Forty-six of 150 (31%) neonates had EEG seizures (31% in Epo vs 30% in placebo, p = 0.96). Maximal hourly seizure burden after the study drug was not significantly different between groups (median 11.4 for Epo, IQR: 5.6, 18.1 vs median 9.7, IQR: 4.9, 21.0 min/h for placebo). CONCLUSION: In neonates with HIE treated with hypothermia who were randomized to Epo or placebo, we found no meaningful between-group difference in seizure risk or burden. These findings are consistent with overall trial results, which do not support Epo use for neonates with HIE undergoing therapeutic hypothermia. IMPACT: In the HEAL trial of erythropoietin (Epo) vs placebo for neonates with encephalopathy presumed due to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) who were also treated with therapeutic hypothermia, electrographic seizures were detected in 31%, which is lower than most prior studies. Epo did not reduce the proportion of neonates with acute provoked seizures (31% in Epo vs 30% in placebo) or maximal hourly seizure burden after the study drug (median 11.4, IQR 5.6, 18.1 for Epo vs median 9.7, IQR 4.9, 21.0 min/h for placebo). There was no anti- or pro-convulsant effect of Epo when combined with therapeutic hypothermia for HIE.

Characteristics of Neonates with Cardiopulmonary Disease Who Experience Seizures: A Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare key seizure and outcome characteristics between neonates with and without cardiopulmonary disease. STUDY DESIGN: The Neonatal Seizure Registry is a multicenter, prospectively acquired cohort of neonates with clinical or electroencephalographic (EEG)-confirmed seizures. Cardiopulmonary disease was defined as congenital heart disease, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and exposure to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. We assessed continuous EEG monitoring strategy, seizure characteristics, seizure management, and outcomes for neonates with and without cardiopulmonary disease. RESULTS: We evaluated 83 neonates with cardiopulmonary disease and 271 neonates without cardiopulmonary disease. Neonates with cardiopulmonary disease were more likely to have EEG-only seizures (40% vs 21%, P < .001) and experience their first seizure later than those without cardiopulmonary disease (174 vs 21 hours of age, P < .001), but they had similar seizure exposure (many-recurrent electrographic seizures 39% vs 43%, P = .27). Phenobarbital was the primary initial antiseizure medication for both groups (90%), and both groups had similarly high rates of incomplete response to initial antiseizure medication administration (66% vs 68%, P = .75). Neonates with cardiopulmonary disease were discharged from the hospital later (hazard ratio 0.34, 95% CI 0.25-0.45, P < .001), although rates of in-hospital mortality were similar between the groups (hazard ratio 1.13, 95% CI 0.66-1.94, P = .64). CONCLUSION: Neonates with and without cardiopulmonary disease had a similarly high seizure exposure, but neonates with cardiopulmonary disease were more likely to experience EEG-only seizures and had seizure onset later in the clinical course. Phenobarbital was the most common seizure treatment, but seizures were often refractory to initial antiseizure medication. These data support guidelines recommending continuous EEG in neonates with cardiopulmonary disease and indicate a need for optimized therapeutic strategies.

A hybrid implementation-effectiveness randomized trial of CYP2D6-guided postoperative pain management.

PURPOSE: Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) genotype-guided opioid prescribing is limited. The purpose of this type 2 hybrid implementation-effectiveness trial was to evaluate the feasibility of clinically implementing CYP2D6-guided postsurgical pain management and determine that such an approach did not worsen pain control. METHODS: Adults undergoing total joint arthroplasty were randomized 2:1 to genotype-guided or usual pain management. For participants in the genotype-guided arm with a CYP2D6 poor (PM), intermediate (IM), or ultrarapid (UM) metabolizer phenotype, recommendations were to avoid hydrocodone, tramadol, codeine, and oxycodone. The primary endpoints were feasibility metrics and opioid use; pain intensity was a secondary endpoint. Effectiveness outcomes were collected 2 weeks postsurgery. RESULTS: Of 282 patients approached, 260 (92%) agreed to participate. In the genotype-guided arm, 20% had a high-risk (IM/PM/UM) phenotype, of whom 72% received an alternative opioid versus 0% of usual care participants (p < 0.001). In an exploratory analysis, there was less opioid consumption (200 [104-280] vs. 230 [133-350] morphine milligram equivalents; p = 0.047) and similar pain intensity (2.6 ± 0.8 vs. 2.5 ± 0.7; p = 0.638) in the genotype-guided vs. usual care arm, respectively. CONCLUSION: Implementing CYP2D6 to guide postoperative pain management is feasible and may lead to lower opioid use without compromising pain control.

Early-life epilepsy after acute symptomatic neonatal seizures: A prospective multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate early-life epilepsy incidence, seizure types, severity, risk factors, and treatments among survivors of acute neonatal seizures. METHODS: Neonates with acute symptomatic seizures born 7/2015-3/2018 were prospectively enrolled at nine Neonatal Seizure Registry sites. One-hour EEG was recorded at age three months. Post-neonatal epilepsy and functional development (Warner Initial Developmental Evaluation of Adaptive and Functional Skills - WIDEA-FS) were assessed. Cox regression was used to assess epilepsy-free survival. RESULTS: Among 282 infants, 37 (13%) had post-neonatal epilepsy by 24-months [median age of onset 7-months (IQR 3-14)]. Among those with post-neonatal epilepsy, 13/37 (35%) had infantile spasms and 12/37 (32%) had drug-resistant epilepsy. Most children with post-neonatal epilepsy had abnormal neurodevelopment at 24-months (WIDEA-FS >2SD below normal population mean for 81% of children with epilepsy vs 27% without epilepsy, RR 7.9, 95% CI 3.6-17.3). Infants with severely abnormal neonatal EEG background patterns were more likely to develop epilepsy than those with mild/moderate abnormalities (HR 3.7, 95% CI 1.9-5.9). Neonatal EEG with ≥3 days of seizures also predicted hazard of epilepsy (HR 2.9, 95% CI 1.4-5.9). In an adjusted model, days of neonatal EEG-confirmed seizures (HR 1.4 per day, 95% CI 1.2-1.6) and abnormal discharge examination (HR 3.9, 95% CI 1.9-7.8) were independently associated with time to epilepsy onset. Abnormal (vs. normal) three-month EEG was not associated with epilepsy. SIGNIFICANCE: In this multicenter study, only 13% of infants with acute symptomatic neonatal seizures developed post-neonatal epilepsy by age 24-months. However, there was a high risk of severe neurodevelopmental impairment and drug-resistant seizures among children with post-neonatal epilepsy. Days of EEG-confirmed neonatal seizures was a potentially modifiable epilepsy risk factor. An EEG at three months was not clinically useful for predicting epilepsy. These practice changing findings have implications for family counseling, clinical follow-up planning, and future research to prevent post-neonatal epilepsy.

Pattern of head circumference growth following bidirectional Glenn in infants with single ventricle heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Infants with single ventricle congenital heart disease demonstrate increasing head growth after bidirectional Glenn; however, the expected growth trajectory has not been well described. AIMS: 1) We will describe the pattern of head circumference growth in the first year after bidirectional Glenn. 2) We will determine if head growth correlates with motor developmental outcomes approximately 12 months after bidirectional Glenn. METHODS: Sixty-nine single ventricle patients underwent bidirectional Glenn between 2010 and 2016. Patients with structural brain abnormalities, grade III-IV intra-ventricular haemorrhage, significant stroke, or obstructive hydrocephalus were excluded. Head circumference and body weight measurements from clinical encounters were evaluated. Motor development was measured with Psychomotor Developmental Index of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Third Edition. Generalised estimating equations assessed change in head circumference z-scores from baseline (time of bidirectional Glenn) to 12 months post-surgery. RESULTS: Mean age at bidirectional Glenn was 4.7 (2.3) months and mean head circumference z-score based on population-normed data was -1.13 (95% CI -1.63, -0.63). Head circumference z-score increased to 0.35 (95% CI -0.20, 0.90) (p < 0.0001) 12 months post-surgery. Accelerated head growth, defined as an increase in z-score of >1 from baseline to 12 months post-surgery, was present in 46/69 (66.7%) patients. There was no difference in motor Psychomotor Developmental Index scores between patients with and without accelerated head growth. CONCLUSION: Single ventricle patients demonstrated a significant increase in head circumference after bidirectional Glenn until 10-12 months post-surgery, at which time growth stabilised. Accelerated head growth did not predict sub-sequent motor developmental outcomes.

Associations between Infant and Parent Characteristics and Measures of Family Well-Being in Neonates with Seizures: A Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize and determine risk factors for key dimensions of well-being at hospital discharge in families of neonates with acute symptomatic seizures. STUDY DESIGN: This prospective, observational cohort study enrolled 144 parent-infant dyads among neonates with acute symptomatic seizures from 9 pediatric hospitals in the Neonatal Seizure Registry. One parent per family completed a discharge survey, which included measures of anxiety and depression, health-related quality of life, and impact on the family. Multivariable regression analyses adjusted for site were constructed to examine parent and infant characteristics associated with well-being. RESULTS: At discharge, 54% of parents reported symptoms of anxiety and 32% reported symptoms of depression. Parents of infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy reported more depression and worse quality of life than parents of infants with other seizure etiologies. Parental quality of life was also lower with greater infant age at discharge. A higher level of maternal education was associated with greater impact on the family. All these differences were medium to large effect sizes, ranging from 0.52 to 0.78. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms of anxiety and depression are common in parents of infants with neonatal seizures, and several parent and infant characteristics are associated with poorer parental quality of life and family well-being. These findings are a call to action to improve mental health screening and services for parents of infants with neonatal seizures.

Risk for infantile spasms after acute symptomatic neonatal seizures.

OBJECTIVE: Infantile spasms (IS) is a severe epilepsy in early childhood. Early treatment of IS provides the best chance of seizure remission and favorable developmental outcome. We aimed to develop a prediction rule to accurately predict which neonates with acute symptomatic seizures will develop IS. METHODS: We used data from the Neonatal Seizure Registry, a prospective, multicenter cohort of infants with acute symptomatic neonatal seizures born from July 2015 to March 2018. Neonates with acute symptomatic seizures who received clinical electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and were younger than 2 years of age at the time of enrollment were included. We evaluated the association of neonatal EEG, MRI, and clinical factors with subsequent IS using bivariate analysis and best subsets logistic regression. We selected a final model through a consensus process that balanced statistical significance with clinical relevance. RESULTS: IS developed in 12 of 204 infants (6%). Multiple potential predictors were associated with IS, including Apgar scores, EEG features, seizure characteristics, MRI abnormalities, and clinical status at hospital discharge. The final model included three risk factors: (a) severely abnormal EEG or ≥3 days with seizures recorded on EEG, (b) deep gray or brainstem injury on MRI, and (c) abnormal tone on discharge exam. The stratified risk of IS was the following: no factors 0% (0/82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0%-4%), one or two factors 4% (4/108, 95% CI 1%-9%), and all three factors 57% (8/14, 95% CI 29%-83%). SIGNIFICANCE: IS risk after acute symptomatic neonatal seizures can be stratified using commonly available clinical data. No child without risk factors, vs >50% of those with all three factors, developed IS. This risk prediction rule may be valuable for clinical counseling as well as for selecting participants for clinical trials to prevent post-neonatal epilepsy. This tailored approach may lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment and improve outcomes for a devastating early life epilepsy.

Cross-Sectional Analysis of Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients With Vestibular Disorders.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship of cognitive dysfunction and vestibular dysfunction has been established by various studies. However, the available Patient-Reported Outcome Measures questionnaires that address the main vestibular complaint fail to highlight this domain of dysfunction in this patient population. The objective of this study was to quantify and compare cognitive impairment using a validated cognitive questionnaire across several vestibular diagnoses. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of 186 patients presenting to a tertiary care vestibular clinic with a diagnosis of vestibular migraine, Meniere's disease (MD), benign positional paroxysmal vertigo, or persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD). Patients completed the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI). RESULTS: Mean CFQ scores for this cohort were significantly higher than similarly aged published controls (34.9/100 versus 31.3/100; p < 0.01; mean age, 45 years) as well as published controls between 65 and 74 years of age (34.9/100 versus 31.2/100; p < 0.05). Patients with PPPD or combined vestibular migraine and MD scored the highest on the CFQ and significantly higher than controls (45.1/100, p = 0.001; and 44.1/100, p = 0.006, respectively). Patients with benign positional paroxysmal vertigo had lower scores than normal controls. There is a weak but significant correlation between CFQ and DHI (r = 0.31; p < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression shows that CFQ scores were largely driven by the duration of symptoms (p < 0.001), type of diagnosis (notably PPPD; p = 0.026), and DHI (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that cognitive impairment is prevalent with chronic vestibular disorders, even in peripheral disorders such as MD. The duration of vestibular symptoms before diagnosis (and management), as well as certain etiologies, may play a bigger role in cognitive disability than age. This is not currently well-addressed in Patient-Reported Outcome Measures questionnaires and may be overlooked at the time of the diagnosis. Appropriate identification may help tailor treatment, namely rehabilitation programs, to individual patients.

Response to antiseizure medications in neonates with acute symptomatic seizures.

In a prospective cohort of 534 neonates with acute symptomatic seizures, 66% had incomplete response to the initial loading dose of antiseizure medication (ASM). Treatment response did not differ by gestational age, sex, medication, or dose. The risk of incomplete response was highest for seizures due to intracranial hemorrhage and lowest for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, although the difference was not significant after adjusting for high seizure burden and therapeutic hypothermia treatment. Future trial design may test ASMs in neonates with all acute symptomatic seizure etiologies and could target neonates with seizures refractory to an initial ASM.

Why are monarch butterflies declining in the West? Understanding the importance of multiple correlated drivers.

Understanding the factors associated with declines of at-risk species is an important first step in setting management and recovery targets. This step can be challenging when multiple aspects of climate and land use are changing simultaneously, and any or all could be contributing to population declines. We analyzed population trends of monarch butterflies in western North America in relation to likely environmental drivers. Unlike the larger eastern monarch population, past analyses of western monarchs have only evaluated the importance of climate (i.e., not land use) factors as drivers of abundance. We used partial least squares regression (PLSR) to evaluate the potential importance of changes in land use and climate variables. Trends in western monarch abundance were more strongly associated with land use variables than climate variables. Conclusions about importance of climate and land use variables were robust to changes in PLSR model structure. However, individual variables were too collinear to unambiguously separate their effects. We compared these conclusions to the more widely used technique of multiple regression, followed by multi-model inference (MRMI). Naïve interpretation of MRMI results could be misleading, if collinearity were not taken into account. MRMI was also highly sensitive to variation in model construction. Our results suggest a two-pronged approach to monarch conservation, specifically, starting efforts now to restore habitat, while also using experiments to more clearly delineate separate effects of climate and land use factors. They also demonstrate the utility of PLSR, a technique that is growing in use but is still relatively under-appreciated in conservation biology.

Evaluation of the protective effects of ß-blockers in the management of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between early ß-blocker continuation and major inpatient events in patients hospitalized for an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). METHODS: This single centre, retrospective, investigational review board approved cohort study evaluated patients admitted for a primary diagnosis of AECOPD. Patients were evaluated based on early continuation of a ß-blocker whether a ß-blocker was initiated within 24 hours of admission and continued for at least 72 hours. Patients with AECOPD who did not receive ß-blockers were assigned to the control group. Major inpatient events were a composite outcome composed of arrhythmias, myocardial infarction (MI) and death. Safety data were collected on the incidences of bradycardia, bronchospasms and hypotension. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Of the 96 patients admitted for AECOPD, fifty-five patients were included in the early ß-blocker group and forty-one patients in the control group. Early ß-blocker utilization was associated with a significantly lower rate of major inpatient events compared with the control group (40% vs 80.5%; P < 0.001). Arrhythmias were significantly less common in the early ß-blocker group (30.9% vs 65.9%; P = 0.001); however, there were no significant differences in the rates of MI (9.1% vs 14.6%; P = 0.54), death (0 vs 0) or safety outcomes between groups. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: ß-blocker therapy could result in a paradigm shift in managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients from a true cardiopulmonary approach. This retrospective cohort study demonstrated early ß-blocker continuation in patients admitted for an AECOPD was associated with less major inpatient events, primarily arrhythmias.

Association between CYP2C19 extensive metabolizer phenotype and childhood anti-reflux surgery following failed proton pump inhibitor medication treatment.

When pediatric gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that is refractory to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication treatment is identified in clinical practice and anti-reflux surgery (ARS) is being considered, genetic factors related to PPI metabolism by the CYP2C19 enzyme are currently not part of the clinical decision-making process. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that the distribution of the extensive metabolizer (EM) phenotypes among children undergoing ARS after failing PPI therapy would differ compared to controls (children with no history of ARS). We conducted a case-control study between children across the Nemours Health System from 2000 to 2014 who received ARS after failing PPI therapy and a control group comprised of healthy children. Our results demonstrated 2.9% of ARSs vs 20.8% of controls were poor metabolizers (PMs), 55.9% of ARSs vs 49.0% of controls were normal metabolizers (NMs), and 41.2% of ARSs vs 30.2% of controls were EMs; p = 0.035. Next, we performed a multiple-regression model to account for race as a potential confounding variable and the EM group was significantly associated with ARS compared to controls (OR 9.78, CI 1.25-76.55, p < 0.03). CONCLUSION: Among children with medically refractory GERD despite PPI therapy, carriage of CYP2C19*17 allele corresponding to the EM phenotype was associated with ARS. Prospective comparative personalized medicine effectiveness studies are needed to determine if CYP2C19 genotype-guided dosing improves response to PPI therapy without a corresponding increase in adverse effects in children. What is known: • Anti-reflux surgery (ARS) is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in children for the indication of refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). What is new: • Individualizing PPI medication dosing based on CYP2C19 diplotype may avoid GERD treatment failures and reduce the need for anti-reflux surgery (ARS).

Prenatal aqueduct stenosis: Association with rhombencephalosynapsis and neonatal outcome.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To examine prenatal MRI and postnatal imaging in fetuses with congenital aqueductal stenosis (CAS) to determine the frequency of association of rhombencephalosynapsis (RES) and how it may affect neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) course. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single center IRB-approved retrospective study of children with CAS was performed. Prenatal MRI, postnatal images, and clinical data were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed with SAS statistical software package version 9.3. RESULTS: Aqueduct obstruction was confirmed for all 30 participants. Hydrocephalus required shunting in all but one (97%). Fifteen neonates had CAS with rhomboencephalosynapsis (RES) (50%). Although neonatal course between the two groups was comparable, 53% of CAS with RES neonates required feeding assistance versus 20% in CAS only (P = 0.128). Shunting in the CAS with RES group occurred at average of 6 days of life versus CAS group at 55 days (P = 0.196). Biometry measurements showed a statistically significant decrease in pons antero-posterior diameter in both groups (CAS only P = 0.0049 and CAS with RES P = 0.0003) when compared with norms for gestational age. CONCLUSION: CAS has a high association with RES. Feeding assistance in the NICU and earlier neurosurgical intervention may be required in patients with CAS who also have RES.

Congenital aqueduct stenosis: Progressive brain findings in utero to birth in the presence of severe hydrocephalus.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of progressive hydrocephalus on the developing brain in a cohort of fetuses diagnosed with congenital aqueduct stenosis by comparing prenatal magnetic resonance imaging and postnatal imaging. METHODS: This IRB approved single center retrospective review of prenatally diagnosed children with congenital aqueduct stenosis interrogated changes in the brain between prenatal and postnatal imaging and analyzed statistics using SAS software package version 9.3. RESULTS: Thirty fetuses imaged at a mean gestational age of 26 weeks had aqueduct obstruction confirmed by postnatal imaging. Progressive hydrocephalus required shunting in all but one patient (97%). Those patients with increasing hydrocephalus showed increase in ventricular rupture (60%), loss of septal leaflets (47%), and reduction in white matter and corpus callosum volume (43%). Cerebellar ectopia developed in 27% with 6% meeting the criteria for Chiari I malformation. CONCLUSION: Hydrocephalus in the fetus results in enlarging ventricular rupture, loss of the septum pellucidum leaflets, volume reduction of brain parenchyma including corpus callosum, and risk for Chiari I anomaly. Given advances in fetal surgery and imaging in the last 3 decades, there may be cause to revisit the idea of in utero cerebral spinal fluid diversion as a means to potentially ameliorate progressive loss of the developing brain.

A Retrospective Analysis of the Utility of Head Computed Tomography and/or Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Management of Benign Macrocrania.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and neurosurgical evaluations altered the diagnosis or management of children diagnosed with benign macrocrania of infancy by ultrasonography (US). STUDY DESIGN: We queried our radiology database to identify patients diagnosed with benign macrocrania of infancy by US between 2006 and 2013. Medical records of those with follow-up CT/MRI were reviewed to determine clinical/neurologic status and whether or not CT/MRI imaging resulted in diagnosis of communicating hydrocephalus or required neurosurgical intervention. RESULTS: Patients with benign macrocrania of infancy (n = 466) were identified (mean age at diagnosis: 6.5 months). Eighty-four patients (18.0%) received subsequent head CT/MRI; of these, 10 patients had neurologic abnormalities before 2 years of age, of which 3 had significant findings on MRI (temporal lobe white matter changes, dysmorphic ventricles, thinned corpus callosum). One patient without neurologic abnormalities had nonspecific white matter signal abnormality (stable over 6 months) but no change in management. None required neurosurgical intervention. Another 9/84 patients had incidental findings including Chiari I (3), small subdural bleeds (2), arachnoid cyst (1), small cavernous malformation (1), frontal bone dermoid (1), and a linear parietal bone fracture after a fall (1). CONCLUSIONS: Children diagnosed with benign macrocrania of infancy on US without focal neurologic findings do not require subsequent brain CT/MRI or neurosurgical evaluation. Decreasing unnecessary imaging would decrease costs, minimize radiation and sedation exposures, and increase clinic availability of neurology and neurosurgery specialists.

Cost of Unnecessary Testing in the Evaluation of Pediatric Syncope.

Syncope is a common and a typically benign clinical problem in children and adolescents. The majority of tests ordered in otherwise healthy pediatric patients presenting with syncope have low diagnostic yield. This study quantifies testing and corresponding patient charges in a group of pediatric patients presenting for outpatient evaluation for syncope. Patients seen between 3/2011 and 4/2013 in the multi-disciplinary Syncope Clinic at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center were enrolled in a registry which was reviewed for patient information. The electronic medical record was used to determine which syncope patients underwent cardiac (electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, or exercise testing) or neurologic (head CT/MRI or electroencephalogram) testing within the interval from 3 months before to 3 months after the Syncope Clinic visit. Testing charges were obtained through hospital billing records. 442 patients were included for analysis; 91% were Caucasian; 65.6% were female; median age was 15.1 years (8.1-21.2 years). Cardiac and neurologic testing was common in this population. While some testing was performed during the Syncope Clinic visit, 46% of the testing occurred before or after the visit. A total of $1.1 million was charged to payers for cardiac and neurological testing with an average total charge of $2488 per patient. Despite the typically benign etiology of pediatric syncope, patients often have expensive and unnecessary cardiac and/or neurologic testing. Reducing or eliminating this unnecessary testing could have a significant impact on healthcare costs, especially as the economics of healthcare shift to more capitated systems.

Evaluating the Effect of Estimating Renal Function With the CKD-EPI 2021 Equation on the ABCD-GENE Score for Clopidogrel Response Prediction.

The ABCD-GENE score was developed to predict poor response to clopidogrel and includes Age, Body mass index, Chronic kidney disease (CKD; estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2), Diabetes, and CYP2C19 GENE variants; a score ≥ 10 is predictive of reduced clopidogrel effectiveness after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Estimation of GFR without a race variable via the CKD-EPI Scr 2021 equation is now recommended. We examined the impact of using the CKD-EPI Scr 2021 vs. 2009 equation on the ABCD-GENE score for post-PCI patients. A total of 4335 adult patients (n = 925 Black) who underwent PCI and CYP2C19 genotyping were included, with GFR estimated for each patient via the CKD-EPI Scr 2021 and CKD-EPI 2009 equations. The ABCD-GENE score, calculated based on each GFR estimation, was compared. With the CKD-EPI Scr 2021 vs. 2009 equation, median (IQR) eGFR was lower (74 [55-94] vs. 81 [60-103] mL/min/1.73 m2, P < 0.001), and CKD prevalence was higher (31% vs. 25%, P < 0.001) among Black patients, whereas eGFR was higher (85 [65-99] vs. 80 [61-94] mL/min/1.73m2, P < 0.001), and CKD prevalence was lower (20% vs. 24%, P < 0.001) in non-Black patients. This led to 12 (1%) Black patients being reclassified from low to high risk of poor clopidogrel response and 30 (1%) non-Black patients being recategorized from high to low risk (P < 0.001 for both comparisons). Removal of the race variable from GFR estimation significantly impacted the prediction of clopidogrel effectiveness via the ABCD-GENE score.

Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium Guideline (CPIC) for CYP2D6, ADRB1, ADRB2, ADRA2C, GRK4, and GRK5 Genotypes and Beta-Blocker Therapy.

Beta-blockers are widely used medications for a variety of indications, including heart failure, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias, and hypertension. Genetic variability in pharmacokinetic (e.g., CYP2D6) and pharmacodynamic (e.g., ADRB1, ADRB2, ADRA2C, GRK4, GRK5) genes have been studied in relation to beta-blocker exposure and response. We searched and summarized the strength of the evidence linking beta-blocker exposure and response with the six genes listed above. The level of evidence was high for associations between CYP2D6 genetic variation and both metoprolol exposure and heart rate response. Evidence indicates that CYP2D6 poor metabolizers experience clinically significant greater exposure and lower heart rate in response to metoprolol compared with those who are not poor metabolizers. Therefore, we provide therapeutic recommendations regarding genetically predicted CYP2D6 metabolizer status and metoprolol therapy. However, there was insufficient evidence to make therapeutic recommendations for CYP2D6 and other beta-blockers or for any beta-blocker and the other five genes evaluated (updates at www.cpicpgx.org).

Effectiveness of Clopidogrel vs Alternative P2Y12 Inhibitors Based on the ABCD-GENE Score.

BACKGROUND: An ABCD-GENE (age, body mass index, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and CYP2C19 genetic variants) score ≥10 predicts reduced clopidogrel effectiveness, but its association with response to alternative therapy remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between ABCD-GENE score and the effectiveness of clopidogrel vs alternative P2Y12 inhibitor (prasugrel or ticagrelor) therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: A total of 4,335 patients who underwent PCI, CYP2C19 genotyping, and P2Y12 inhibitor treatment were included. The primary outcome was major atherothrombotic events (MAE) within 1 year after PCI. Cox regression was performed to assess event risk in clopidogrel-treated (reference) vs alternatively treated patients, with stabilized inverse probability weights derived from exposure propensity scores after stratifying by ABCD-GENE score and further by CYP2C19 loss-of-function (LOF) genotype. RESULTS: Among patients with scores <10 (n = 3,200), MAE was not different with alternative therapy vs clopidogrel (weighted HR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.65-1.22; P = 0.475). The risk for MAE also did not significantly differ by treatment among patients with scores ≥10 (n = 1,135; weighted HR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.51-1.11; P = 0.155). Among CYP2C19 LOF allele carriers, MAE risk appeared lower with alternative therapy in both the group with scores <10 (weighted HR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.25-1.01; P = 0.052) and the group with scores ≥10 (weighted HR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.29-0.80; P = 0.004), while there was no difference in the group with scores <10 and no LOF alleles (weighted HR: 1.03; 95% CI: 0.70-1.51; P = 0.885). CONCLUSIONS: These data support the use of alternative therapy over clopidogrel in CYP2C19 LOF allele carriers after PCI, regardless of ABCD-GENE score, while clopidogrel is as effective as alternative therapy in non-LOF patients with scores <10.