Eosinophilic esophagitis in cystic fibrosis: A case series with long-term follow-up.

Challenging mealtime behaviors in young children and difficulties in meeting their dietary intake recommendations are sources of parenting stress and associated with negative quality of life. The gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations of cystic fibrosis (CF) can often present similarly to a GI pathology unrelated to CF. Specifically, this case series focuses on three toddlers with CF who presented with oral aversion and challenging mealtime behaviors and later were diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Though EoE often presents with dysphagia, younger patients commonly present with nonspecific GI symptoms such as regurgitation, emesis, abdominal pain, failure to thrive, food intolerance, and oral aversion. Given the overlap of GI manifestations in CF and EoE, it can be challenging for clinicians to diagnose the coexistent EoE in patients with CF. We describe the presenting symptoms, treatment, and successful outcomes of three pediatric patients with CF and EoE. To our knowledge, this is the second case series with a detailed description of EoE in CF.

Flexible Flat Foot, Short Tendo-Achilles, and Altered Gait.

Background Pediatric patients often present with vague complaints involving the anterolateral foot and ankle, the medial knee, the lower back, and the hip. In our experience, closer examination of these patients reveals a constellation of symptoms that involve pathology in the ankle, knee, back, and hip. This study aimed to detail the identification and treatment of patients with the triad of flexible flat feet, tight Achilles complex, and altered gait, and their clinical course over time. Methods All patients of age 18 years or younger who presented to our urban academic center outpatient clinic with foot, ankle, patellar, low back, or hip pain or pathology were included. Patients with identified tarsal coalitions, accessory naviculars, malalignment syndrome, bone cysts or tumors, soft tissue tumors, arthropathy, neuropathy, infection, limb length inequality, patellar subluxation or dislocation, or spinal pathology were excluded. For each patient, demographic information, symptom description, treatment, and clinical course, including the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) was recorded. Results A total of 62 patients were included in our study. Patients mostly presented with low back pain (n=24, 38.7%), medial patellar pain (n=36, 58.1%), anterolateral ankle pain (n=35, 56.5%), and vague foot pain (n=13, 21.0%). Overall, 53.8% of patients with back pain at the initial visit, 35.0% of patients with knee pain, 44.4% of patients with ankle pain and 80.0% of patients with foot pain improved at final follow up. While patient-reported sports and recreation subscale scores demonstrated a significant improvement at the final follow-up compared to baseline scores (p=0.02), all other scores did not significantly differ compared to baseline scores. At final follow-up, 12 of 26 (46.2%) patients reported being able to return to play in their desired sport. Conclusion Complaints of back, hip, knee, ankle, or foot pain in the pediatric population can be early markers for a constellation of conditions that include low back pain, flexible flat feet, Achilles contracture, and altered gait due to increased lateral subluxation of the patella and hip flexion.

Collection of Common Knee Patient-reported Outcome Instruments by Automated Mobile Phone Text Messaging in Pediatric Sports Medicine.

BACKGROUND: Patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments measure health status in a variety of domains. With the proliferation of mobile phones, delivering PROs across patient-friendly platforms (eg, apps, text messaging) may increase completion rates, particularly among children. The purpose of this study was to validate the collection of common knee PROs in sports medicine with text messaging by correlating text-messaging responses with paper delivery in adolescents. METHODS: Patients presenting to a hospital-based pediatric orthopaedic sports medicine clinic with a knee injury were enrolled prospectively. Paper versions of the Pediatric International Knee Documentation Committee (Pedi-IKDC) Subjective Knee Evaluation Form and the Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (Pedi-Fab Scale) were completed during initial clinic visits. Over the next 72 hours, patients completed the text message delivery of the Pedi-IKDC and Pedi-Fab Scale. Correlations between paper and text message delivery of the 2 PROs were assessed. RESULTS: Ninety-one patients (mean age: 16.0±2.0 y; 48% females) enrolled in the text-messaging study, with 55 (60.4%) completing the Pedi-Fab Scale, 48 (52.7%) completing the Pedi-IKDC, and 39 (42.9%) completing both PROs. The intraclass correlation coefficient between the paper and mobile phone delivery of the Pedi-Fab Scale was 0.95 (P<0.001; 95% confidence interval, 0.91-0.97). The intraclass correlation coefficient between the paper and mobile phone delivery of the Pedi-IKDC was 0.96 (P<0.001; 95% confidence interval, 0.93-0.98). Average Pedi-Fab scores on paper (M=12.7) and mobile phone (M=12.3) were not significantly different (P=0.52). Similarly, average Pedi-IKDC scores on paper (M=68.8) and mobile phone (M=67.7) were not significantly different (P=0.41). Average completion time for the text delivered Pedi-Fab and Pedi-IKDC were 102±224 and 159±155 minutes, respectively. High school enrollment (P=0.025), female sex (P=0.036), and race (P=0.002) were significantly associated with text completion of Pedi-IKDC. CONCLUSIONS: Text message delivery using mobile phones permits valid assessment of Pedi-IKDC and Pedi-Fab scores in adolescents. Questionnaire delivery by automated text messaging allows asynchronous response and may increase compliance and reduce the labor cost of collecting PROs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-prospective cohort study.

Application of Low-dose Stereoradiography in In Vivo Vertebral Morphologic Measurements: Comparison With Computed Tomography.

BACKGROUND: Though computed tomography (CT) and 3 dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the spine and ribcage are powerful techniques for detailed monitoring of spinal growth and surgical planning of patients, drawbacks can arise. We explored the application of low-dose stereoradiography of the spine to calculate distinct morphologic parameters of the vertebral body in a juvenile patient population with early-onset scoliosis or congenital scoliosis. This study compares the 3D vertebral morphology measurements using low-dose stereoradiography with the currently accepted imaging modality for such measurements, CT scans. METHODS: A total of 86 vertebrae of 6 patients with early-onset scoliosis and 3 patients with congenital scoliosis, age ranged between 7.8 and 12.5 years, who had both thoracic spine CT scan and low-dose stereoradiography of the spine were included. 3D reconstructions of CT and low-dose stereoradiography were generated. Using previously validated image processing techniques, vertebral anterior (A), posterior (P), left (L), and right (R) heights, superior and inferior endplates depth and width (S-D, I-D, S-W, I-W) were measured on the CTs' 3D reconstructions and were compared with the same parameters measured on low-dose stereoradiography reconstructions using a postprocessing custom code. The agreement between the 2 techniques in measurement of the vertebral morphology was assessed using the Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in the A, P, L, R, S-W, and I-W between the stereoradiography and CT measurements (P>0.05). S-D and I-D were significantly greater in low-dose stereoradiography measurements P<0.05. Bland-Altman plots showed an agreement between the stereoradiography and CT techniques in vertebral height measurements (A, P, L, R); however, larger measurement bias and greater limits of agreement in S-D, I-D, S-W, and I-W measurements were shown. CONCLUSIONS: In vivo measurements of the vertebral heights using low-dose stereoradiography 3D reconstructions were comparable with CT measurements except for the superior and inferior vertebral depths. The low-dose stereoradiography imaging modality and the postprocessing platform can be used for assessment of the vertebral heights and monitoring asymmetric growth in patients undergoing growth-sparing treatment except for the vertebral levels with congenital deformities. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.