Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry: Connecting Patients To National And International Research Opportunities, Yi Wei, Anna Mccormick, Alex Mackenzie, Erin O'Ferrall, Shannon Venance, Jean K. Mah, Kathryn Selby, Hugh J. Mcmillan, Garth Smith, Maryam Oskoui, Gillian Hogan, Laura Mcadam, Gracia Mabaya, Victoria Hodgkinson, Josh Lounsberry, Lawrence Korngut, Craig Campbell

Paediatrics Publications

Introduction

Patient registries serve an important role in rare disease research, particularly for the recruitment and planning of clinical trials. The Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry was established with the primary objective of improving the future for neuromuscular (NM) patients through the enablement and support of research into potential treatments.

Methods

In this report, we discuss design and utilization of the Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry with special reference to the paediatric cohort currently enrolled in the registry.

Results

As of July 25, 2017, there are 658 paediatric participants enrolled in the registry, 249 are dystrophinopathies (229 are Duchenne muscular dystrophy), 57 …

Cua Guideline On The Care Of The Normal Foreskin And Neonatal Circumcision In Canadian Infants, Sumit Dave, Kourosh Afshar, Luis H. Braga, Peter Anderson

Paediatrics Publications

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of The Structural Validity Of The Shoulder Pain And Disability Index (Spadi) Using The Rasch Model, Christina Jerosch-Herold, Rachel Chester, Lee Shepstone, Joshua I. Vincent, Joy C. Macdermid

Bone and Joint Institute

© 2017, Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature. Purpose: The shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) has been extensively evaluated for its psychometric properties using classical test theory (CTT). The purpose of this study was to evaluate its structural validity using Rasch model analysis. Methods: Responses to the SPADI from 1030 patients referred for physiotherapy with shoulder pain and enrolled in a prospective cohort study were available for Rasch model analysis. Overall fit, individual person and item fit, response format, dependence, unidimensionality, targeting, reliability and differential item functioning (DIF) were examined. Results: The SPADI pain subscale initially demonstrated …

The Contribution Of Health And Psychological Factors In Patients With Chronic Neck Pain And Disability: A Cross-Sectional Study, Pavlos Bobos, Goris Nazari, Stephania Palimeris, Evdokia Billis, Joy C. Macdermid

Bone and Joint Institute

© 2018, Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. All rights reserved. Introduction: One approach to reduce the burden of neck pain is the management of the prognostic factors that are associated with greater disability. Studies which quantify these predictors can support interventions that attempt to modify these trajectories. Aim: The aim of the present study to determine the contribution of psychological and health factors that are commonly associated with neck pain and disability levels. Materials and Methods: Patients between 18-65 years old were recruited to participate in the present study if they had neck pain for more than three months, …

A Pilot Hole Does Not Reduce The Strains Or Risk Of Fracture To The Lateral Cortex During And Following A Medial Opening Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy In Cadaveric Specimens, K. Bujnowski, A. Getgood, K. Leitch, J. Farr, C. Dunning, T. A. Burkhart

Bone and Joint Institute

© 2018 Bujnowski et al. Aim: It has been suggested that the use of a pilot-hole may reduce the risk of fracture to the lateral cortex. Therefore the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a pilot hole on the strains and occurrence of fractures at the lateral cortex during the opening of a high tibial osteotomy (HTO) and post-surgery loading. Materials and Methods: A total of 14 cadaveric tibias were randomized to either a pilot hole (n = 7) or a no-hole (n = 7) condition. Lateral cortex strains were measured while the osteotomy was opened …

The Prevalence Of Human Papillomavirus In Pediatric Tonsils: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Monika Wojtera, Josee Paradis, Murad Husein, Anthony C Nichols, John W Barrett, Marina I Salvadori, Julie E Strychowsky

Paediatrics Publications

Background

HPV-related head and neck cancer rates have been increasing in recent years, with the tonsils being the most commonly affected site. However, the current rate of HPV infection in the pediatric population remains poorly defined. The objective of this study was to systematically review and evaluate the prevalence and distribution of HPV in the tonsils of pediatric patients undergoing routine tonsillectomy.

Methods and Results

The literature was searched using PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global databases (inception to December 2017) by two independent review authors. Inclusion criteria included articles which evaluated the prevalence …

Birth Weight And Body Mass Index Z-Score In Childhood Brain Tumors: A Cross-Sectional Study, Kuan-Wen Wang, Russell J De Souza, Adam Fleming, Donna L Johnston, Shayna M Zelcer, Shahrad Rod Rassekh, Sarah Burrow, Lehana Thabane, M Constantine Samaan

Paediatrics Publications

Children with brain tumors (CBT) are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes compared to the general population, in which birth weight is a risk factor for these diseases. However, this is not known in CBT. The primary aim of this study was to explore the association between birth weight and body mass measures in CBT, compared to non-cancer controls. This is a secondary data analysis using cross-sectional data from the CanDECIDE study (n = 78 CBT and n = 133 non-cancer controls). Age, sex, and birth weight (grams) were self-reported, and confirmed through examination of the …

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 …

Liver Transplantation For Unresectable Colorectal Cancer Metastases Confined To The Liver. Bonmots 24 Jan 18, Vivian Mcalister

Data and Test Instruments

Webcast available here

A Supramodal Role Of The Basal Ganglia In Memory And Motor Inhibition: Meta-Analytic Evidence, Yuhua Guo, Taylor W. Schmitz, Marieke Mur, Catarina S. Ferreira, Michael C. Anderson

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

© 2017 The Authors The ability to stop actions and thoughts is essential for goal-directed behaviour. Neuroimaging research has revealed that stopping actions and thoughts engage similar cortical mechanisms, including the ventro- and dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex. However, whether and how these abilities require similar subcortical mechanisms remains unexplored. Specifically of interest are the basal ganglia, subcortical structures long-known for their motor functions, but less so for their role in cognition. To investigate the potential common mechanisms in the basal ganglia underlying action and thought stopping, we conducted meta-analyses using fMRI data from the Go/No-Go, Stop-signal, and Think/No-Think tasks. All three …

Mental Disorder In Children With Physical Conditions: A Pilot Study, Alexandra Butler, Ryan J Van Lieshout, Ellen Louise Lipman, Harriet L Macmillan, Andrea Gonzalez, Jan Willem Gorter, Kathy Georgiades, Kathy N Speechley, Michael H Boyle, Mark A Ferro

Paediatrics Publications

Objectives

Methodologically, to assess the feasibility of participant recruitment and retention, as well as missing data in studying mental disorder among children newly diagnosed with chronic physical conditions (ie, multimorbidity). Substantively, to examine the prevalence of multimorbidity, identify sociodemographic correlates and model the influence of multimorbidity on changes in child quality of life and parental psychosocial outcomes over a 6-month follow-up.

Design

Prospective pilot study.

Setting

Two children's tertiary-care hospitals.

Participants

Children aged 6-16 years diagnosed in the past 6 months with one of the following: asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, food allergy or juvenile arthritis, and their parents.

Outcome Measures

Response, …

Making The Grade: Mentors’ Perspectives Of A Course-Based, Smart, Healthy Campus Pilot Project For Building Mental Health Resiliency Through Mentorship And Physical Activity, Rebecca Fried, Shazya Karmali, Jennifer Irwin, Francesca Gable, Alan Salmoni

Health Studies Publications

The purpose of this academic-year-long pilot study was to explore senior Kinesiology students’ (i.e., ‘mentors’; N = 30) experiences in an undergraduate course focused on building resilience among first- years via physical activity (PA) and mentorship. The psychosocial experiences of mentors were also tracked via qualitative interviews and validated questionnaires at pre-, mid-, and post-intervention. Inductive content analysis revealed mentors’ perspectives of the program’s positive influence on their PA, resilience, and mental health; and some added stressors. One-way, repeated-measures ANOVAs indicated few statistically significant findings over time regarding participants’ levels of: resilience [F(2, 54) = 8.82 , p < .05]; behavioural control [F(2, 54) = 25.44, p < .05 ]; and positive affect [F(2, 54) = 52.97, p < .05 ]. This pilot program demonstrates promise for future university-based interventions.

Airway Pressure Release Ventilation In Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. A Randomized Controlled Trial, Saptharishi Lalgudi Ganesan, Muralidharan Jayashree, Sunit Chandra Singhi, Arun Bansal

Data and Test Instruments

No abstract provided.

The Implementation And Feasibility Of The Supporting Physical Activity In The Childcare Environment (Space) Intervention: A Process Evaluation, Jennifer Irwin, Molly Driediger, Leigh Vanderloo, Shauna Burke, Anca Gaston, Brian Timmons, Andrew Johnson, Patricia Tucker

Health Studies Publications

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Adolescent Thc Exposure On The Prefrontal Gabaergic System: Implications For Schizophrenia-Related Psychopathology., Justine Renard, Walter J Rushlow, Steven R Laviolette

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Marijuana is the most commonly used drug of abuse among adolescents. Considerable clinical evidence supports the hypothesis that adolescent neurodevelopmental exposure to high levels of the principal psychoactive component in marijuana, -delta-9-tetrahydrocanabinol (THC), is associated with a high risk of developing psychiatric diseases, such as schizophrenia later in life. This marijuana-associated risk is believed to be related to increasing levels of THC found within commonly used marijuana strains. Adolescence is a highly vulnerable period for the development of the brain, where the inhibitory GABAergic system plays a pivotal role in the maturation of regulatory control mechanisms in the central nervous …

The Impact Of Seasonal Operating Room Closures On Wait Times For Oral Cancer Surgery, Neil Mundi, Julie Theurer, A Warner, J Yoo, K. Fung, D. Macneil, S. Dhaliwal, Eric Winquist, David Palma, A. C. Nichols

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Background

Operating room slowdowns occur at specific intervals in the year as a cost-saving measure. We aim to investigate the impact of these slowdowns on the care of oral cavity cancer patients at a Canadian tertiary care centre.

Methods

A total of 585 oral cavity cancer patients seen between 1999 and 2015 at the London Health Science Centre (lhsc) Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Clinic were included in this study. Operating room hours and patient load from 2006 to 2014 were calculated. Our primary endpoint was the wait time from consultation to definitive surgery. Exposure variables were defined according to wait …

Learning The Hard Way: Clinical Trials In Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, Roberta A Berard, Ronald M Laxer

Paediatrics Publications

No abstract provided.

A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Phase 3 Trial Of An Antisense Oligonucleotide, Drisapersen, In Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Nathalie Goemans, Eugenio Mercuri, Elena Belousova, Hirofumi Komaki, Alberto Dubrovsky, Craig M Mcdonald, John E Kraus, Afrodite Lourbakos, Zhengning Lin, Giles Campion, Susanne X Wang, Craig Campbell, Demand Iii Study Group

Paediatrics Publications

This 48-week, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 study (DMD114044; NCT01254019) evaluated efficacy and safety of subcutaneous drisapersen 6 mg/kg/week in 186 ambulant boys aged ≥5 years, with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) resulting from an exon 51 skipping amenable mutation. Drisapersen was generally well tolerated, with injection-site reactions and renal events as most commonly reported adverse events. A nonsignificant treatment difference (P = 0.415) in the change from baseline in six-minute walk distance (6MWD; primary efficacy endpoint) of 10.3 meters in favor of drisapersen was observed at week 48. Key secondary efficacy endpoints (North Star Ambulatory Assessment, 4-stair climb ascent velocity, and …

Peripheral Blood Epi-Signature Of Claes-Jensen Syndrome Enables Sensitive And Specific Identification Of Patients And Healthy Carriers With Pathogenic Mutations In Kdm5c., Laila C Schenkel, Erfan Aref-Eshghi, Cindy Skinner, Peter Ainsworth, Hanxin Lin, Guillaume Paré, David I Rodenhiser, Charles Schwartz, Bekim Sadikovic

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Claes-Jensen syndrome is an X-linked inherited intellectual disability caused by mutations in the KDM5C gene. Kdm5c is a histone lysine demethylase involved in histone modifications and chromatin remodeling. Males with hemizygous mutations in KDM5C present with intellectual disability and facial dysmorphism, while most heterozygous female carriers are asymptomatic. We hypothesized that loss of KDM5C function may influence other components of the epigenomic machinery including DNA methylation in affected patients.

Results: Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis of 7 male patients affected with Claes-Jensen syndrome and 56 age- and sex-matched controls identified a specific DNA methylation defect (epi-signature) in the peripheral blood …

Genomic Dna Methylation-Derived Algorithm Enables Accurate Detection Of Malignant Prostate Tissues., Erfan Aref-Eshghi, Laila C Schenkel, Peter Ainsworth, Hanxin Lin, David I Rodenhiser, Jean-Claude Cutz, Bekim Sadikovic

Paediatrics Publications

Introduction: The current methodology involving diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) relies on the pathology examination of prostate needle biopsies, a method with high false negative rates partly due to temporospatial, molecular, and morphological heterogeneity of prostate adenocarcinoma. It is postulated that molecular markers have a potential to assign diagnosis to a considerable portion of undetected prostate tumors. This study examines the genome-wide DNA methylation changes in PCa in search of genomic markers for the development of a diagnostic algorithm for PCa screening.

Methods: Archival PCa and normal tissues were assessed using genomic DNA methylation arrays. Differentially methylated sites and regions …

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 …

Infants Born Large For Gestational Age And Developmental Attainment In Early Childhood, Cairina E Frank, Kathy N Speechley, Jennifer J Macnab, M Karen Campbell

Paediatrics Publications

Objectives

To investigate if an association exists between being born large for gestational age (LGA) and verbal ability or externalizing behaviour problems at ages 4-5 years.

Method

A secondary analysis was conducted using the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, including singleton births in 2004-2005 followed till 4-5 years (

Results

Infants born LGA were not found to be at increased risk for poor verbal ability (aOR: 1.16 [0.49,2.72] and aOR: 0.83 [0.37,1.87] for girls and boys, resp.) or externalizing behaviour problems (aOR: 1.24 [0.52,2.93] and aOR: 1.24 [0.66,2.36] for girls and boys, resp.). Social factors were found to …

Disturbed Eeg Sleep, Paranoid Cognition And Somatic Symptoms Identify Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Harvey Moldofsky, Lorne Rothman, Robert Kleinman, Shawn G. Rhind, Don Richardson

MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre

Background

Chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) behavioural symptoms and medically unexplainable somatic symptoms are reported to occur following the stressful experience of military combatants in war zones. Aims

To determine the contribution of disordered EEG sleep physiology in those military combatants who have unexplainable physical symptoms and PTSD behavioural difficulties following war-zone exposure. Method

This case-controlled study compared 59 veterans with chronic sleep disturbance with 39 veterans with DSM-IV and clinician-administered PTSD Scale diagnosed PTSD who were unresponsive to pharmacological and psychological treatments. All had standardised EEG polysomnography, computerised sleep EEG cyclical alternating pattern (CAP) as a measure of sleep …

Understanding Parkinson’S Through Visual Narratives: “I’M Not Mrs. Parkinson’S”, S. G. Lutz, Jeffrey D. Holmes, D. Rudman, A. M. Johnson, K. Ladonna, M. E. Jenkins

Occupational Therapy Publications

Although it is accepted that individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) must navigate challenges such as receiving their diagnosis, and changing daily occupations, little is known about how they navigate. The purpose of this study is to deepen the current understanding of the experience of living with PD and its implications for occupation through a narrative visual methodology (photo-elicitation). Methods: Six individuals with PD were asked to take photographs and share verbal narrative accounts to illustrate their experience of living with PD. Findings: Results highlight the interrelationship between occupation and identity, as many of the participants stories were interpreted as foregrounding …

Expanding Beyond Individualism: Engaging Critical Perspectives On Occupation., Alison J Gerlach, Gail Teachman, Debbie Rudman, Rebecca M Aldrich, Suzanne Huot

Occupational Therapy Publications

BACKGROUND: Perspectives that individualize occupation are poorly aligned with socially responsive and transformative occupation-focused research, education, and practice. Their predominant use in occupational therapy risks the perpetuation, rather than resolution, of occupational inequities.

AIM: In this paper, we problematize taken-for-granted individualistic analyses of occupation and illustrate how critical theoretical perspectives can reveal the ways in which structural factors beyond an individual's immediate control and environment shape occupational possibilities and occupational engagement.

METHOD: Using a critically reflexive approach, we draw on three distinct qualitative research studies to examine the potential of critical theorizing for expanding beyond a reliance on individualistic analyses …

Designing Effective Point Of Choice Prompts To Promote Active Transportation And Staircase Use At A Canadian University, Hieu Ly, Jennifer Irwin

Health Studies Publications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the most suitable health messages and designs to create point-of-choice prompts for promoting active transportation and stair- case use that would appeal to undergraduate students. Participants: Undergraduate students (N 1⁄4 21; 71% women) were recruited during Fall (2016) and Winter (2017) semesters. Methods: Focus groups (50–80minutes each) were organized to obtain students’ feedback on the kind of messages and poster designs they found motivational. Inductive content analysis was performed on verbatim transcripts. Descriptive statistics were calculated to summarize demographic characteristics of participants. Results: The major themes revealed that participants: preferred simple …

Mathematical Abilities In Children With Developmental Language Disorder, Alexandra M. Cross, Lisa M.D. Archibald, Marc F. Joanisse

Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Publications

Purpose. The present paper provides a scoping review of the literature on mathematical abilities in developmental language disorder (DLD). Children with DLD typically struggle with learning in school, however the mechanism by which DLD impacts academic success is unclear. Mathematics involves demands in the multiple domains, and therefore holds potential for examining the relationship between language and academic performance on tasks mediated by verbal and non-verbal demands.

Methods. A scoping review was performed via computerized database searching to examine literature on mathematics and DLD. The 21 papers meeting inclusion criteria compared children with typical development or DLD on various tasks …

Feasibility And Fit Of A Mental Health Promotion Program For Lgbtq+ Youth, Alicia A. Lapointe, Caely I. Dunlop, Claire Crooks

Journal Articles

This study evaluated the feasibility and fit of a mental health promotion and violence prevention program adapted for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 14-18). The pilot program included 16 30-minute sessions and was implemented in 8 gender and sexuality alliances (GSAs) and one community youth group setting. Extensive feedback was collected from 11 facilitators via session tracking sheets, ongoing email communication, an implementation survey, and a focus group; and from 7 youth who participated in a variety of feedback activities during a 2-day post-program workshop. Results indicated a strong interest in formalized programming, challenges related to its delivery in GSAs, and significant …

Research Snapshot: Changes In Depression And Positive Mental Health Among Youth In A Healthy Relationships Program, Centre For School Mental Health

Research Snapshots

This study explored and identified meaningful groups of youth based on their depression symptoms over time. Researchers found that youth who reported high levels of depression prior to the program experienced a significant decline in depressive symptoms and improved mental well-being following the program.

Comparing The Anterior, Posterior And Lateral Approach: Gait Analysis In Total Hip Arthroplasty, Stephen Petis, James Howard, Brent Lanting

Bone and Joint Institute

No abstract provided.