Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing The Impact Of Pregnancy And Birth Factors On The Maternal And Infant Microbiota, Kait F. Al, Laura Allen, Samantha Bedell, Jeremy P. Burton, Barbra De Vrijer

Obstetrics & Gynaecology Publications

Background: The microbiota acquired at birth is known to play an intimate role in later life health and disease and has been shown to be affected by the mode of birth. There has been recent interest in microbiota correction by maternal vaginal seeding in Cesarean section-born infants; however, the safety of this practice has been debated. The aim of this study was to assess how other factors, such as timing of sampling, maternal obesity, vaginal Group B Streptococcus colonization (GBS), and antibiotic exposure, affect the maternal and infant microbiota.

Methods: Maternal vaginal and saliva samples were collected at three time …

Prenatal And Postpartum Maternal Mental Health And Neonatal Motor Outcomes During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alissa Papadopoulos, Emily S. Nichols, Yalda Mohsenzadeh, Isabelle Giroux, Michelle F. Mottola, Ryan J. Van Lieshout, Emma G. Duerden

Neuroscience Institute Publications

Background: Rates of prenatal and postpartum stress and depression in pregnant individuals have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perinatal maternal mental health has been linked to worse motor development in offspring, with motor deficits appearing in infancy and early childhood. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between prenatal and postpartum stress and depression and motor outcome in infants born during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: One hundred and seventeen participants completed an online prospective survey study at two timepoints: during pregnancy and within 2 months postpartum. Depression was self-reported using the Edinburgh Perinatal/Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), and stress via the Perceived …

Association Of Pediatric Buccal Epigenetic Age Acceleration With Adverse Neonatal Brain Growth And Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Among Children Born Very Preterm With A Neonatal Infection., Noha Gomaa, Chaini Konwar, Nicole Gladish, Stephanie H Au-Young, Ting Guo, Min Sheng, Sarah M Merrill, Edmond Kelly, Vann Chau, Helen M Branson, Linh G Ly, Emma G Duerden, Ruth E Grunau, Michael S Kobor, Steven P Miller

Department of Medicine Publications

IMPORTANCE: Very preterm neonates (24-32 weeks' gestation) remain at a higher risk of morbidity and neurodevelopmental adversity throughout their lifespan. Because the extent of prematurity alone does not fully explain the risk of adverse neonatal brain growth or neurodevelopmental outcomes, there is a need for neonatal biomarkers to help estimate these risks in this population.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize the pediatric buccal epigenetic (PedBE) clock-a recently developed tool to measure biological aging-among very preterm neonates and to assess its association with the extent of prematurity, neonatal comorbidities, neonatal brain growth, and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 months of age.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND …

Sex-Specific Alterations In Hepatic Cholesterol Metabolism In Low Birth Weight Adult Guinea Pigs., Ousseynou Sarr, Katherine E Mathers, Christina Vanderboor, Kristina Wiggers, Aditya Devgan, Daniel B Hardy, Lin Zhao, Timothy Regnault

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine growth restriction and low birth weight (LBW) have been widely reported as an independent risk factor for adult hypercholesterolaemia and increased hepatic cholesterol in a sex-specific manner. However, the specific impact of uteroplacental insufficiency (UPI), a leading cause of LBW in developed world, on hepatic cholesterol metabolism in later life, is ill defined and is clinically relevant in understanding later life liver metabolic health trajectories.

METHODS: Hepatic cholesterol, transcriptome, cholesterol homoeostasis regulatory proteins, and antioxidant markers were studied in UPI-induced LBW and normal birth weight (NBW) male and female guinea pigs at 150 days.

RESULTS: Hepatic free and …

Child Distress Expression And Regulation Behaviors: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Hannah G. Gennis, Oana Bucsea, Shaylea D. Badovinac, Stefano Costa, C. Meghan Mcmurtry, David B. Flora, Rebecca Pillai Riddell

Paediatrics Publications

The goal of the current study was to review and meta-analyze the literature on relationships between child distress expression behaviors (e.g., cry) and three clusters of child distress regulation behaviors (disengagement of attention, parent-focused behaviors, and self-soothing) in the first three years of life. This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020157505). Unique abstracts were identified through Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO (n = 13,239), and 295 studies were selected for full-text review. Studies were included if they provided data from infants or toddlers in a distress task, had distinct behavioral measures of distress expression and one of the three distress regulation …

Prevalence Of Low Birth Weight, Premature Birth, And Stillbirth Among Pregnant Adolescents In Canada: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Natalie Demarco, Jasna Twynstra, Maria B. Ospina, Marissa Darrington, Caroline Whippey, Jamie A. Seabrook

Paediatrics Publications

Although most studies show that adolescent pregnant women are at a higher risk for adverse birth outcomes, there has been limited research examining this relationship in Canada. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the prevalence of low birthweight (LBW), preterm birth (PTB), and stillbirth in Canadian adolescent women compared to adult women. Studies were included if they were primary research and included a sample of adolescent mothers (≤19 years) and adult mothers (≥20 years) who gave birth to singleton infants in Canada. Birth outcomes must have been measured consistently in at least 3 studies for inclusion. Comprehensive electronic literature searches …

Association Of Co-Exposure Of Antenatal Steroid And Prophylactic Indomethacin With Spontaneous Intestinal Perforation, Hemasree Kandraju, Jaideep Kanungo, Kyong Soon Lee, Sibasis Daspal, Mohammad Amin Adie, Jon Dorling, Xiang Y. Ye, Shoo K. Lee, Prakesh S. Shah, Marc Beltempo, Joseph Ting, Zenon Cieslak, Rebecca Sherlock, Ayman Abou Mehrem, Jennifer Toye, Khalid Aziz, Carlos Fajardo, Jaya Bodani, Lannae Strueby, Mary Seshia, Deepak Louis, Ruben Alvaro, Amit Mukerji, Orlando Da Silva, Eugene Ng, Brigitte Lemyre, Thierry Daboval, Faiza Khurshid, Ermelinda Pelausa

Paediatrics Publications

Objective: To evaluate the association of a combined exposure to antenatal steroids and prophylactic indomethacin with the outcome of spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) among neonates born at <26 weeks of gestation or <750 g birth weight. Study design: We conducted a retrospective study of preterm infants admitted to Canadian Neonatal Network units between 2010 and 2018. Infants were classified into 2 groups based on receipt of antenatal steroids; the latter subgrouped as recent (≤7 days before birth) or latent (>7 days before birth) exposures. The co-exposure was prophylactic indomethacin. The primary outcome was SIP. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to calculate aORs. Results: Among 4720 eligible infants, 4121 (87%) received antenatal steroids and 1045 (22.1%) received prophylactic indomethacin. Among infants exposed to antenatal steroids, those who received prophylactic indomethacin had higher odds of SIP (aOR 1.61, 95% CI 1.14-2.28) compared with no prophylactic indomethacin. Subgroup analyses revealed recent antenatal steroids exposure …

Risk Factors For Re-Hospitalization Following Neonatal Discharge Of Extremely Preterm Infants In Canada, Zakariya Bambala Puthattayil, Thuy Mai Luu, Marc Beltempo, Shannon Cross, Thevanisha Pillay, Marilyn Ballantyne, Anne Synnes, Prakesh Shah, Thierry Daboval

Paediatrics Publications

Objective: Survivors of extremely preterm birth are at risk of re-hospitalization but risk factors in the Canadian population are unknown. Our objective is to identify neonatal, sociodemographic, and geographic characteristics that predict re-hospitalization in Canadian extremely preterm neonates. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of a prospective observational cohort study that included preterm infants born 22 to 28 weeks’ gestational age from April 1, 2009 to September 30, 2011 and seen at 18 to 24 months corrected gestational age in a Canadian Neonatal Follow-Up Network clinic. Characteristics of infants re-hospitalized versus not re-hospitalized are compared. The potential neonatal, sociodemographic, and …

A Novel Sting1 Variant Causes A Recessive Form Of Sting-Associated Vasculopathy With Onset In Infancy (Savi)., Bin Lin, Roberta Berard, Abdulrahman Al Rasheed, Buthaina Aladba, Philip J Kranzusch, Maggie Henderlight, Alexi Grom, Dana Kahle, Sofia Torreggiani, Alexander G Aue, Jacob Mitchell, Adriana A De Jesus, Grant S Schulert, Raphaela Goldbach-Mansky

Paediatrics Publications

No abstract provided.

Developing And Implementing A Novel Mentorship Model (4+ 1) For Maternal, Newborn And Child Health In Rwanda, Anaclet Ngabonzima, Cynthia Kenyon, Celestin Hategeka, Aimee Josephine Utuza, Paulin Ruhato Banguti, Isaac Luginaah, David F Cechetto

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND: There are a number of factors that may contribute to high mortality and morbidity of women and newborns in low-income countries. These include a shortage of competent health care providers (HCP) and a lack of sufficient continuous professional development (CPD) opportunities. Strengthening the skills and building the capacity of HCP involved in the provision of maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) is essential to ensure quality care for mothers, newborns and children. To address this challenge in Rwanda, mentorship of HCPs was identified as an approach that could help build capacity, improve the provision of care and accelerate the …

Medium-Term Complications Associated With Coronary Artery Aneurysms After Kawasaki Disease: A Study From The International Kawasaki Disease Registry., Brian W Mccrindle, Cedric Manlhiot, Jane W Newburger, Ashraf S Harahsheh, Therese M Giglia, Frederic Dallaire, Kevin Friedman, Tisiana Low, Kyle Runeckles, Mathew Mathew, Andrew S Mackie, Nadine F Choueiter, Pei-Ni Jone, Shelby Kutty, Anji T Yetman, Geetha Raghuveer, Elfriede Pahl, Kambiz Norozi, Kimberly E Mchugh, Jennifer S Li, Sarah D De Ferranti, Nagib Dahdah

Paediatrics Publications

Background Coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) may occur after Kawasaki disease (KD) and lead to important morbidity and mortality. As CAA in patients with KD are rare and heterogeneous lesions, prognostication and risk stratification are difficult. We sought to derive the cumulative risk and associated factors for cardiovascular complications in patients with CAAs after KD. Methods and Results A 34-institution international registry of 1651 patients with KD who had CAAs (maximum CAA

Consensus Guidelines For Management Of Hyperammonaemia In Paediatric Patients Receiving Continuous Kidney Replacement Therapy., Rupesh Raina, Jirair K Bedoyan, Uta Lichter-Konecki, Philippe Jouvet, Stefano Picca, Nicholas Ah Mew, Marcel C Machado, Ronith Chakraborty, Meghana Vemuganti, Manpreet K Grewal, Timothy Bunchman, Sidharth Kumar Sethi, Vinod Krishnappa, Mignon Mcculloch, Khalid Alhasan, Arvind Bagga, Rajit K Basu, Franz Schaefer, Guido Filler, Bradley A Warady

Paediatrics Publications

Hyperammonaemia in children can lead to grave consequences in the form of cerebral oedema, severe neurological impairment and even death. In infants and children, common causes of hyperammonaemia include urea cycle disorders or organic acidaemias. Few studies have assessed the role of extracorporeal therapies in the management of hyperammonaemia in neonates and children. Moreover, consensus guidelines are lacking for the use of non-kidney replacement therapy (NKRT) and kidney replacement therapies (KRTs, including peritoneal dialysis, continuous KRT, haemodialysis and hybrid therapy) to manage hyperammonaemia in neonates and children. Prompt treatment with KRT and/or NKRT, the choice of which depends on the …

Transient Hyponatremia Of Prematurity Caused By Mild Bartter Syndrome Type Ii: A Case Report., Subhrata Verma, Rahul Chanchlani, Victoria Mok Siu, Guido Filler

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND: Bartter syndrome subtypes are a group of rare renal tubular diseases characterized by impaired salt reabsorption in the tubule, specifically the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop. Clinically, they are characterized by the association of hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, hypercalciuria, nephrocalcinosis, increased levels of plasma renin and aldosterone, low blood pressure and vascular resistance to angiotensin II. Bartter syndrome type II is caused by mutations in the renal outer medullary potassium channel (ROMK) gene (KCNJ1), can present in the newborn period and typically requires lifelong therapy.

CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a case of a prematurely born female infant presenting with …

Prevalence And Clinical Features Of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Associated With Monogenic Variants, Identified By Whole-Exome Sequencing In 1000 Children At A Single Center, Eileen Crowley, Neil Warner, Jie Pan, Sam Khalouei, Abdul Elkadri, Karoline Fiedler, Justin Foong, Andrei L Turinsky, Dana Bronte-Tinkew, Shiqi Zhang

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND & AIMS: A proportion of infants and young children with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) have subtypes associated with a single gene variant (monogenic IBD). We aimed to determine the prevalence of monogenic disease in a cohort of pediatric patients with IBD.

METHODS: We performed whole-exome sequencing analyses of blood samples from an unselected cohort of 1005 children with IBD, aged 0-18 years (median age at diagnosis, 11.96 years) at a single center in Canada and their family members (2305 samples total). Variants believed to cause IBD were validated using Sanger sequencing. Biopsies from patients were analyzed by immunofluorescence and …

Age At Migration And The Risk Of Psychotic Disorders: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis., Kelly K. Anderson, Jordan Edwards

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing evidence on the association between age at migration and the risk of psychotic disorders.

METHODS: Observational studies were eligible for inclusion if they presented data on the association between age at migration and the risk of psychotic disorders among first-generation migrant groups. We used two random effects meta-analyses to pool effect estimates for each stratum of age at migration relative to (i) a native-born reference category and (ii) the youngest age stratum (0 to 2 years).

RESULTS: Ten studies met inclusion criteria, and five were included in the meta-analysis. …

Predictors Of Bicuspid Aortic Valve-Associated Aortopathy In Childhood: A Report From The Mibava Consortium, Michael Grattan, Andrea Prince, Rawan K Rumman, Conall Morgan, Michele Petrovic, Amanda Hauck, Luciana Young, Anders Franco-Cereceda, Bart Loeys, Salah A Mohamed, Harry Dietz, Seema Mital, Chun-Po Steve Fan, Cedric Manlhiot, Gregor Andelfinger, Luc Mertens

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND: Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most prevalent congenital heart defect affecting 1% to 2% of the population. It is associated with ascending aorta dilatation. Valve morphology, aortic stenosis (AS), and aortic insufficiency (AI) have been proposed as potential risk factors; however, evaluating their role is difficult, as these factors are inherently related. The aim of this study was to determine whether BAV morphology and dysfunction are independent determinants for ascending aorta dilatation in pediatric patients.

METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective, cross-sectional study of pediatric BAV patients followed since 2004 was performed. Imaging data were assessed for BAV morphology, severity …

Osteochondritis Dissecans In Pediatric Patients With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis., Bradley C Jackson, Debra L Bartley, Roberta A Berard

Paediatrics Publications

No abstract provided.

Growth Hormone Deficiency In Megalencephaly-Capillary Malformation Syndrome: An Association With Activating Mutations In Pik3ca, Shanlee Davis, Meredith A Ware, Jordan Zeiger, Matthew A Deardorff, Katheryn Grand, Adda Grimberg, Stephanie Hsu, Megan Kelsey, Shideh Majidi, Revi P Matthew, Melanie Napier, Natalie Nokoff, Chitra Prasad, Andrew C Riggs, Margaret L Mckinnon, Ghayda Mirzaa

Paediatrics Publications

Megalencephaly-capillary malformation syndrome (MCAP) is a brain overgrowth disorder characterized by cortical malformations (specifically polymicrogyria), vascular anomalies, and segmental overgrowth secondary to somatic activating mutations in the PI3K-AKT-MTOR pathway (PIK3CA). Cases of growth failure and hypoglycemia have been reported in patients with MCAP, raising the suspicion for unappreciated growth hormone (GH) deficiency. Here we report an observational multicenter study of children with MCAP and GH deficiency. Eleven participants were confirmed to have GH deficiency, all with very low or undetectable circulating concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3. Seven underwent GH stimulation testing and all had …

Unanticipated Admissions To Paediatric Cardiac Critical Care After Cardiac Catheterisations., Erin Peebles, Michael R Miller, Lee N Benson, Tilman Humpl

Paediatrics Publications

OBJECTIVES: Cardiac catheterisation is commonly used for diagnosis and therapeutic interventions in paediatric cardiology. The inherent risk of the procedure can result in unanticipated admissions to critical care. Our goals were to provide a qualitative description of characteristics and evaluation of children admitted unexpectedly to the cardiac critical care unit (CCCU).

METHODS: A retrospective single centre review of cardiac catheterisation procedures was done between 1 January, 2003 and 30 April, 2013.

RESULTS: Of 9336 cardiac catheterisations performed, 146 (1.6%) were admitted from the catheterisation laboratory to the CCCU and met inclusion criteria. Of these 146 patients, 117 (1.3%) met criteria …

Validity Of The Early Activity Scale For Endurance And The 6-Minute Walk Test For Children With Cerebral Palsy., Alyssa Laforme Fiss, Lynn Jeffries, Allison Yocum, Sarah Westcott Mccoy, On Track Study Team

Physical Therapy Publications

PURPOSE: This study aimed to describe Early Activity Scale for Endurance (EASE) scores and 6-minute walk test (6MWT) distances of children with cerebral palsy (CP) by functional ability level, sex, and age and to examine the convergent validity of the 2 tests.

METHODS: A total of 708 participants with CP, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I to V, completed the EASE, and 376 of the study participants (3-12years), GMFCS levels I to III, completed the 6MWT.

RESULTS: Children with CP vary in EASE scores and 6MWT distances based on GMFCS level and, to a lesser extent, age. The …

Pain Management Practices Surrounding Lumbar Punctures In Children: A Survey Of Canadian Emergency Physicians., Naveen Poonai, Victoria Brzozowski, Antonia S Stang, Amy L Drendel, Philippe Boisclair, Michael Miller, Stuart Harman, Samina Ali

Paediatrics Publications

OBJECTIVES:
Lumbar punctures (LPs) are painful for children, and analgesia is recommended by academic societies. However, less than one-third of pediatric emergency physicians (EPs) adhere to recommendations. We assessed the willingness to provide analgesia among pediatric and general EPs and explored patient and provider-specific barriers.

METHODS:
We surveyed physicians in the Pediatric Emergency Research Canada (PERC) or Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) databases from May 1 to August 1, 2016, regarding hypothetical scenarios for a 3-week-old infant, a 3-year-old child, and a 16-year-old child requiring an LP. The primary outcome was the willingness to provide analgesia. Secondary outcomes included …

Patterns Of Joint Involvement In Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis And Prediction Of Disease Course: A Prospective Study With Multilayer Non-Negative Matrix Factorization., Simon W M Eng, Florence A Aeschlimann, Mira Van Veenendaal, Roberta A Berard, Alan M Rosenberg, Quaid Morris, Rae S M Yeung

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND:
Joint inflammation is the common feature underlying juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Clinicians recognize patterns of joint involvement currently not part of the International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR) classification. Using unsupervised machine learning, we sought to uncover data-driven joint patterns that predict clinical phenotype and disease trajectories.

METHODS AND FINDINGS:
We analyzed prospectively collected clinical data, including joint involvement using a standard 71-joint homunculus, for 640 discovery patients with newly diagnosed JIA enrolled in a Canada-wide study who were followed serially for five years, treatment-naïve except for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and diagnosed within one year of symptom …

Multicenter Trial Of A Combination Probiotic For Children With Gastroenteritis., Stephen B Freedman, Sarah Williamson-Urquhart, Ken J Farion, Serge Gouin, Andrew R Willan, Naveen Poonai, Katrina Hurley, Philip M Sherman, Yaron Finkelstein, Bonita E Lee, Xiao-Li Pang, Linda Chui, David Schnadower, Jianling Xie, Marc Gorelick, Suzanne Schuh

Paediatrics Publications

Background

Gastroenteritis accounts for approximately 1.7 million visits to the emergency department (ED) by children in the United States every year. Data to determine whether the use of probiotics improves outcomes in these children are lacking.

Methods

We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial involving 886 children 3 to 48 months of age with gastroenteritis who presented to six pediatric EDs in Canada. Participants received a 5-day course of a combination probiotic product containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus R0011 and L. helveticus R0052, at a dose of 4.0×10

Results

Moderate-to-severe gastroenteritis within 14 days after enrollment occurred in 108 of 414 participants (26.1%) …

Stability Of The Gross Motor Function Classification System, Manual Ability Classification System, And Communication Function Classification System., Robert J Palisano, Lisa Avery, Jan Willem Gorter, Barbara Galuppi, Sarah Westcott Mccoy

Physical Therapy Publications

AIM: To determine the stability of the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), and Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) over 1-year and 2-year intervals using a process for consensus classification between parents and therapists.

METHOD: Participants were 664 children with cerebral palsy (CP), 18 months to 12 years of age, one of their parents, and 90 therapists. Consensus between parents and therapists on level of function was ≥92% for the GMFCS, MACS, and CFCS. A linearly weighted kappa coefficient of ≥0.75 was the criterion for stability.

RESULTS: Kappa coefficients varied from 0.76 to 0.88 for …

Magnetic Resonance Imaging In The Diagnosis Of White Matter Signal Abnormalities., Ravi Datar, Asuri Narayan Prasad, Keng Yeow Tay, Charles Anthony Rupar, Pavlo Ohorodnyk, Michael Miller, Chitra Prasad

Paediatrics Publications

Background White matter abnormalities (WMAs) pose a diagnostic challenge when trying to establish etiologic diagnoses. During childhood and adult years, genetic disorders, metabolic disorders and acquired conditions are included in differential diagnoses. To assist clinicians and radiologists, a structured algorithm using cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been recommended to aid in establishing working diagnoses that facilitate appropriate biochemical and genetic investigations. This retrospective pilot study investigated the validity and diagnostic utility of this algorithm when applied to white matter signal abnormalities (WMSAs) reported on imaging studies of patients seen in our clinics. Methods The MRI algorithm was applied to …

Nutrient Intake In The First Two Weeks Of Life And Brain Growth In Preterm Neonates., Juliane Schneider, Céline J Fischer Fumeaux, Emma G Duerden, Ting Guo, Justin Foong, Myriam Bickle Graz, Patric Hagmann, M Mallar Chakravarty, Petra S Hüppi, Lydie Beauport, Anita C Truttmann, Steven P Miller

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

BACKGROUND: Optimizing early nutritional intake in preterm neonates may promote brain health and neurodevelopment through enhanced brain maturation. Our objectives were (1) to determine the association of energy and macronutrient intake in the first 2 weeks of life with regional and total brain growth and white matter (WM) maturation, assessed by 3 serial MRI scans in preterm neonates; (2) to examine how critical illness modifies this association; and (3) to investigate the relationship with neurodevelopmental outcomes.

METHODS: Forty-nine preterm neonates (21 boys, median [interquartile range] gestational age: 27.6 [2.3] weeks) were scanned serially at the following median postmenstrual weeks: 29.4, …

Nusinersen Versus Sham Control In Later-Onset Spinal Muscular Atrophy., Eugenio Mercuri, Basil T Darras, Claudia A Chiriboga, John W Day, Craig Campbell, Anne M Connolly, Susan T Iannaccone, Janbernd Kirschner, Nancy L Kuntz, Kayoko Saito, Perry B Shieh, Már Tulinius, Elena S Mazzone, Jacqueline Montes, Kathie M Bishop, Qingqing Yang, Richard Foster, Sarah Gheuens, C Frank Bennett, Wildon Farwell, Eugene Schneider, Darryl C De Vivo, Richard S Finkel

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND: Nusinersen is an antisense oligonucleotide drug that modulates pre-messenger RNA splicing of the survival motor neuron 2 ( SMN2) gene. It has been developed for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, double-blind, sham-controlled, phase 3 trial of nusinersen in 126 children with SMA who had symptom onset after 6 months of age. The children were randomly assigned, in a 2:1 ratio, to undergo intrathecal administration of nusinersen at a dose of 12 mg (nusinersen group) or a sham procedure (control group) on days 1, 29, 85, and 274. The primary end point was …

Nusinersen Versus Sham Control In Later-Onset Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Eugenio Mercuri, Basil T Darras, Claudia A Chiriboga, John W Day, Craig Campbell, Anne M Connolly, Susan T Iannaccone, Janbernd Kirschner, Nancy L Kuntz, Kayoko Saito, Perry B Shieh, Már Tulinius, Elena S Mazzone, Jacqueline Montes, Kathie M Bishop, Qingqing Yang, Richard Foster, Sarah Gheuens, C Frank Bennett, Wildon Farwell, Eugene Schneider, Darryl C De Vivo, Richard S Finkel

Paediatrics Publications

Background

Nusinersen is an antisense oligonucleotide drug that modulates pre-messenger RNA splicing of the survival motor neuron 2 ( SMN2) gene. It has been developed for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

Methods

We conducted a multicenter, double-blind, sham-controlled, phase 3 trial of nusinersen in 126 children with SMA who had symptom onset after 6 months of age. The children were randomly assigned, in a 2:1 ratio, to undergo intrathecal administration of nusinersen at a dose of 12 mg (nusinersen group) or a sham procedure (control group) on days 1, 29, 85, and 274. The primary end point was …

Early Procedural Pain Is Associated With Regionally-Specific Alterations In Thalamic Development In Preterm Neonates., Emma G Duerden, Ruth E Grunau, Ting Guo, Justin Foong, Alexander Pearson, Stephanie Au-Young, Raphael Lavoie, M Mallar Chakravarty, Vann Chau, Anne Synnes, Steven P Miller

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Very preterm human neonates are exposed to numerous invasive procedures as part of life-saving care. Evidence suggests that repetitive neonatal procedural pain precedes long-term alterations in brain development. However, to date the link between pain and brain development has limited temporal and anatomic specificity. We hypothesized that early exposure to painful stimuli during a period of rapid brain development, before pain modulatory systems reach maturity, will predict pronounced changes in thalamic development, and thereby cognitive and motor function. In a prospective cohort study, 155 very preterm neonates (82 males, 73 females) born 24-32 weeks' gestation underwent two MRIs at median …

Disruption To Functional Networks In Neonates With Perinatal Brain Injury Predicts Motor Skills At 8 Months, Annika C Linke, Conor Wild, Leire Zubiaurre-Elorza, Charlotte Herzmann, Hester Duffy, Victor K Han, David S C Lee, Rhodri Cusack

Paediatrics Publications

Objective

Functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI) of neonates with perinatal brain injury could improve prediction of motor impairment before symptoms manifest, and establish how early brain organization relates to subsequent development. This cohort study is the first to describe and quantitatively assess functional brain networks and their relation to later motor skills in neonates with a diverse range of perinatal brain injuries.

Methods

Infants (n = 65, included in final analyses: n = 53) were recruited from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and were stratified based on their age at birth (prematurevs. term), and on whether neuropathology …