The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology workforce assessment: Part 2-Implications for fellowship training.

The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO) solicited information from division directors and fellowship training program directors to capture pediatric hematology/oncology (PHO) specific workforce data of 6 years (2010-2015), in response to an increase in graduating fellows during that time. Observations included a stable number of physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) in clinical PHO, an increased proportion of APPs hired compared to physicians, and an increase in training-level first career positions. Rapid changes in the models of PHO care have significant implications to current and future trainees and require continued analysis to understand the evolving discipline of PHO.

Aspergillus thyroiditis: first antemortem case diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration culture in a pediatric stem cell transplant patient.

Aspergillus thyroiditis (AT) has historically been considered a postmortem diagnosis in immunocompromised patients; most have disseminated disease. This report summarizes the clinical challenge of diagnosing AT. It also highlights the value of the early use of thyroid fine-needle aspiration culture and the need for a high index of suspicion to reach the final diagnosis before disease dissemination.

Assessment of musculoskeletal function and mood in haemophilia A adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

Haemophilia A is characterized by the occurrence of frequent spontaneous intra-articular and intramuscular bleeding. If inadequately treated, it results in progressive damage to joints and muscles leading to crippling deformities and musculoskeletal dysfunction. These complications result in lifelong chronic pain and disability that may greatly affect the patients' mood. We aimed to evaluate the musculoskeletal function in our haemophilia A patients and its correlation to depressed mood in these patients and determine the impact of degree of factor VIII deficiency, different replacement therapy regimens and frequency of hemarthrosis, on both musculoskeletal function and mood. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 50 adolescent haemophilia A patients. Musculoskeletal function was assessed using Functional Independence Score for Hemophilia (FISH) and mood status was assessed using Beck Depression Inventory-Short Form (BDI-SF). The mean FISH score was 23.32 ± 4.69 (range 13-28) and the tasks that obtained lower scores were step climbing, squatting and walking. Of our 50 patients included, 16(32%) were not depressed, 18(36%) were with mild depression, 11(22%) were with moderate depression and 5(10%) were with severe depression. There was a highly significant negative correlation between mean FISH score and mean BDI-SF score (P < 0.001). The better the replacement therapy regimen, the better the musculoskeletal function that could be obtained in haemophilia A patients and the better the mood.