Goal-Concordance in Children with Complex Chronic Conditions.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize delivery of goal-concordant end-of-life (EOL) care among children with complex chronic conditions and to determine factors associated with goal-concordance. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective review of goals of care discussions for 272 children with at least 1 complex chronic condition who died at a tertiary care hospital between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2017. Goals of care and code status were assessed before and within the last 72 hours of life. Goals of care discussions were coded as full interventions; considering withdrawal of interventions (palliation); planned transition to palliation; or actively transitioning/transitioned to palliation. RESULTS: In total, 158 children had documented goals of care discussions before and within the last 72 hours of life, 18 had goals of care discussions only >72 hours before death, 54 only in the last 72 hours of life, and 42 had no documented goals of care. For children with goals of care, EOL care was goal-concordant for 82.2%, discordant in 7%, and unclear in 10.8%. Black children had a greater than 8-fold greater odds of discordant care compared with White children (OR 8.34, P = .007). Comparison of goals of care and code status before and within the last 72 hours of life revealed trends toward nonescalation of care. Specifically, rates of active palliation increased from 11.7% to 63.0%, and code status shifted from 32.6% do not resuscitate to 65.2% (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, a majority of children had documented goals of care discussions and received goal-concordant EOL care. However, Black children had greater odds of receiving goal-discordant care. Goals of care and code status shifted toward palliation during the last 72 hours of life.

Comparing two different family-based childhood obesity treatment programmes in a medically underserved region: Effectiveness, engagement and implementation outcomes from a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Access to evidence- and family-based childhood obesity (FBCO) treatment interventions is a challenge, especially in underserved regions where childhood obesity disparities persist. OBJECTIVE: Compare two 6-month FBCO treatment interventions, iChoose (high intensity, parent-child dyads) and Family Connections (low intensity, parents only), in one underserved US region. METHODS: This unblinded, RCT reports on effectiveness and implementation outcomes. Eligibility included children ages 5-12 with BMI ≥85th percentile. Analyses included descriptive statistics and intention-to-treat Heckman treatment effect models. RESULTS: Enrolled children (n = 139, mean age 10.1 ± 1.7 years, 30% with overweight, 70% with obesity, 45% black, 63% Medicaid) were randomly assigned to iChoose (n = 70) or Family Connections (n = 69). Retention rates were 63% for iChoose and 84% for Family Connection. Among children, 6-month BMI z-score changes were not statistically significant within iChoose [BMI z-score 0.03 (95% CI = -0.13, 0.19)] or Family Connections [BMI z-score 0.00 (95% CI = -0.16, 0.16)]. Likewise, parents' BMI changes were not statistically significant. No adverse events were reported. Both programmes were delivered with high fidelity (77%-100%). Engagement in core components was 25%-36% for iChoose and 52%-61% for Family Connections. Implementation costs per child with improved BMI z-score were $2841 for iChoose and $955 for Family Connections. CONCLUSIONS: Neither intervention yielded significant improvements in child BMI z-score or parent BMI, yet both were delivered with high fidelity. Relative to iChoose, descriptive data indicated higher retention, better engagement, and lower costs for Family Connections-suggesting that a lower intensity and parent-focused programme may better fit the intended audience's context.

Assets and Challenges to Recruiting and Engaging Families in a Childhood Obesity Treatment Research Trial: Insights From Academic Partners, Community Partners, and Study Participants.

Background: There is need for the childhood obesity treatment literature to identify effective recruitment and engagement strategies for rural communities that are more likely to lack supportive infrastructure for healthy lifestyles and clinical research relative to their urban counterparts. This community case study examines recruitment and engagement strategies from a comparative effectiveness research (CER) trial of two family-based childhood obesity (FBCO) treatment interventions conducted in a medically underserved, rural region. Guided by a Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and systems-based approach, the primary aim was to analyze interviews from academic partners, community partners, and parent study participants for recruitment and engagement assets, challenges, and lessons learned. Methods: Over the 3-year lifespan of the study, researchers conducted 288 interviews with Community Advisory Board members (n = 14), Parent Advisory Team members (n = 7), and study participants (n = 100). Using an inductive-deductive approach, interviews were broadly coded for recruitment and engagement assets, challenges, and recommendations; analyzed for descriptive sub-coding; and organized into stakeholder/organization and participant level themes. Codes were analyzed aggregately across time and examined for differences among stakeholders and parent study participants. Results: Adherence to CBPR principles and development of strong community partnerships facilitated recruitment and engagement; however, variability in recruitment and engagement success impacted partner confidence, threatened outcome validity, and required additional resources. Specifically, assets and challenges emerged around eight key needs. Three were at the stakeholder/organization level: (1) readiness of stakeholders to conduct CBPR research, (2) development of sustainable referral protocols, and (3) development of participant engagement systems. The remaining five were at the participant level: (1) comfort and trust with research, (2) awareness and understanding of the study, (3) intervention accessibility, (4) intervention acceptability, and (5) target population readiness. Future recommendations included conducting readiness assessments and awareness campaigns, piloting and evaluating recruitment and engagement strategies, identifying participant barriers to engagement and finding a priori solutions, and fostering stakeholder leadership to develop sustainable protocols. Conclusion: Collective findings from multiple perspectives demonstrate the need for multi-leveled approaches focusing on infrastructure supports and strategies to improve stakeholder and participant awareness of, and capacity for, recruiting and engaging medically underserved, rural families in a FBCO CER trial.

Persistent venous leg ulcers complicated by linear morphea: a case report.

Soft tissue ulceration resulting from chronic venous insufficiency is a common condition that requires standardised long-term therapy, which has been thoroughly established. We report a patient with a five-year history of persistent venous stasis ulcers despite treatment consistent with traditional wound care. Resolution of the ulcers began only upon deviation from conventional therapy. This report considers non-standard treatments in patients with venous ulcers that do not progress.