Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Cardiac Biomarkers Differentiate Kawasaki Disease From Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children Associated With Covid-19, Mollie Walton

Research Days

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19 show considerable clinical overlap. The goal of this study was to determine if cardiac biomarkers can differentiate KD from MIS-C.

Objectives/Goal: The goal of this study was to determine if cardiac biomarkers differentiate KD from MIS-C.

Methods/Design: The International Kawasaki Disease Registry enrolled (n=2903) contemporaneous KD and MIS-C patients1st, 2020, through June 30th, 2022. The study population was confined to KD patients meeting American Heart Association KD criteria with no prior COVID-19 infection and MIS-C patients meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria with confirmed …

Association Between Remote Monitoring And Interstage Morbidity And Mortality In Single Ventricle Patients Across Socioeconomic Groups, Bianca Cherestal

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Background: Despite improvements in outcomes over time, morbidity and mortality for infants with single ventricle (SV) heart disease remains high. Among other risk factors for mortality, infants of low socioeconomic status (SES) are known to be particularly vulnerable following stage 1 palliation.

Objectives/Goal: We sought to determine whether use of a novel remote monitoring program, CHAMP (Cardiac High Acuity Monitoring Program), mitigates differences in outcomes by SES for infants with SV during the interstage period.

Methods/Design: Using the CHAMP database, we identified 610 infants across 11 institutions enrolled in the program between 2014–2021. All enrolled patients’ families were provided with …

The Impact Of The Deinstitutionalization Policies On Homelessness, Henrique Krigner

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

Homelessness is a growing issue in America. In 2019 there were 567,715 homeless individuals in the United States, distributed in emergency shelters (63%) or residing unsheltered on streets (27%). In 2021, even though specialists argue that the Covid-19 restrictions greatly harmed an accurate counting, the total number of unsheltered homeless in America increased in 20%. Such increase became a central discussion not only to regular citizens and neighborhood associations, but it also became a great concern within the federal government which has been appropriating billions of dollars each year to “end homeless”.

Specialists point out that the growth of the …

Pilot Study Using Sideline Hand-Grip Dynamometry To Assess Strength Changes In A High School Baseball Season: A Feasibility Study, Thomas Munro, Jason D. Yoderq, Brian R. Lee, Brian S. Harvey

Research Days

Background: Upper extremity injuries are common in baseball players. Objective measurements could assist in determining early signs of fatigue before injury occurs. Using HGD to measure strength changes may help identify early signs in the injury process. To our knowledge, HGD has not been tested on high school baseball players in the sideline setting. It is feasible to perform hand-grip dynamometry on-site at the high school level and HGD measurements will change throughout the season in varsity baseball athletes. Secondary aim: Asses HGD measurement in the context of injury/pain/fatigue/pitching.

Objectives/Goal: It is feasible to perform hand-grip dynamometry on-site at the …

Tracheostomy Dependance Patterns In Children With 22q11 Deletion Syndrome, Elie Khalifee, Meghan Tracy, Jill M. Arganbright

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Background: 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is the most common chromosomal microdeletion syndrome and presentation often includes congenital heart disease (CHD), palate anomalies, and developmental delay. Due to the medical complexity of this syndrome, some patients require tracheostomy. To date, there is little in the literature regarding tracheostomy for these patients.

Objectives/Goal: our aim is to better delineate patients with 22q11DS who require tracheostomy, assess outcomes including decannulation and complications.

Methods/Design: This is a retrospective chart review of patients in our 22q Center’s repository. Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of 22q11DS with a current or previous history of tracheostomy. Data collected …

Preoperative Srs-22 Scores Predict Postoperative Achievement Of Distribution-Based Mcid In Ais Patients Treated With Posterior Spinal Instrumentation And Fusion, Jonathan Warren, Cyrus Etebari, Morgan Whitmire, Kenneth Furlough, Brant Ansley, John T. Anderson, Richard M. Schwend

Research Days

Background: There is a growing body of literature assessing the role of preoperative patientreported outcome measures in predicting postoperative achievement of the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies assessing whether preoperative SRS-22 scores are predictive of postoperative achievement of MCID in patient with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

Objectives/Goal: Our purpose is to determine if preoperative SRS-22 scores in patients with AIS who undergo posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion can predict postoperative achievement of MCID.

Methods/Design: SRS-22 forms were provided to all patients scheduled to undergo posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion. MCID …

Therapeutic Plasma Exchange To Alleviate Ventricular Tachycardia After Diphenhydramine Ingestion, Kaushal Dosani, Lejla Music Aplenc, Stephen Pfeiffer

Research Days

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected the mental health of children causing an increased incidence of suicide attempts. Diphenhydramine is a common household medication and is frequently ingested by children. Toxic doses of diphenhydramine can affect the cardiovascular and central nervous system. In the heart, diphenhydramine blocks fast sodium channels and potassium channels which can result in conduction abnormalities including sinus tachycardia, widening of QRS duration, ventricular tachycardia and torsades de pointes. Massive ingestion can cause severe cardiovascular collapse which may require ECMO support

Objectives/Goal: To describe a novel method of clearing highly protein-bound diphenhydramine molecules from circulation after …

Genes Predictive Of Aggressive Infant Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Meghana Bhumireddy

Research Days

Background: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is a rapidly progressive cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many immature leukocytes that divide uncontrollably. KMT2A, or MLL, is a methyltransferase found in many types of leukemia, whose rearrangement (KMT2A-r) is present in approximately 2/3 of infants with ALL. KMT2A-r is associated with a very poor prognosis: roughly ⅔ of patients relapse within 1 year of diagnosis, and the relapsed KMT2A-r ALL is resistant to treatment (having nearly 100% morality). We explored gene expression in patient samples from three groups at diagnosis: KMT2A-r patients who relapsed, KMT2A-r patients who did not relapse, …

Drug Metabolizing Enzymes And Transporters May Help Determineeffective Budesonide Dosing In Eoe, Laurie Mccann, Lisa Harvey, Norah Almahbub, Wendy Y. Wang, Erin C. Boone, Janelle R. Noel-Macdonnell Phd, Rachel Chevalier

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Background: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory disorder diagnosed in children with painful or difficult swallowing, vomiting, or poor weight gain. Current treatment models adopt a trial-and-error approach in regard EoE treatment, including restrictive elimination diets, proton pump inhibitors, and topical budesonide. This approach can delay effective treatment which increases risk of disease progression and increases medical costs to families for frequent clinic visits and endoscopy.

Objectives/Goal: The objective of this study is to determine the CYP3A5 genotype and expression of patients with eosinophilic esophagitis to discover which patients will respond to standard dosing of topical budesonide treatment (1, …

Functional Evaluation Of A Novel Rpl30 Mutation And Its Role In Diamond Blackfan Anemia (Dba), Alexandra Prosser, Alexandria Cockrell, Danny Miller, Chris Seidel, Tamara Potapova, John M. Perry, Midhat Farooqi, Erin M. Guest, Jennifer Gerton

Research Days

Background: Bone marrow failure is life-threatening and requires prompt, intensive treatment, which is dependent upon identification of genetic drivers. Although there has been investigation into associated genetic mutations, especially in Diamond Blackfan anemia (DBA), the relationship between genotype and phenotype remains unclear.DBA has been identified as a ribosomopathy, also known as a disease associated with defects in ribosome biogenesis. We identified a novel heterozygous variant (c.167+769C >T) in the noncoding region of RPL30 in a patient with clinical diagnosis of DBA. Clinical RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) suggests the variant generates a novel splice acceptor site resulting in truncated RPL30 transcripts. Elucidation …

Increased Injury Rate After Covid-19 Infection In Elite Us Youth Soccer Players, Kyle Brougham, Jonathan Warren, Shannon Margherio, James Roberson, Brian Harvey

Research Days

Background: COVID changed the sporting world over the past several years. As the pandemic winds down, it is important to study what effects the virus has on the athletes we serve. As we learn to live and participate in sport with the virus, it is inevitable that athletes will continue to be impacted by COVID. To the best of our knowledge, there is no data on the effects that COVID infection has on elite youth soccer athletes in the United States.

Objectives/Goal: Our purpose is to determine the risk of injury after a COVID infection in youth soccer athletes at …

Indications For Early Surgical Intervention In Adolescents With Salter-Harris Ii Distal Radius Fractures, Cyrus Etebari, Jonathan R. Warren, Olivia Pruss, Sricharan Yadali, Vincent Staggs, Micah K. Sinclair

Research Days

Introduction: Currently, there is little information regarding risk factors for failure of nonoperative treatment in Salter-Harris II distal radius fractures (SHII-DRF). Our purpose is to identify predictors of which patients will require acute surgery and which will develop late malunion based on degree of deformity and skeletal maturity.

Methods: This was a review of SHII-DRFs in patients 9 to 18 years of age, from 2017-2020. Demographics, initial displacement, displacement post-reduction, and displacement after cast removal were evaluated. Skeletal maturity was determined using Sander’s classification. These values were compared between patients who underwent casting alone, underwent acute surgery, or required late …

Degree Of Uncertainty In Reporting Imaging Findings For Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Secondary Analysis From A Pilot Randomized Diagnostic Trial, Disa Rathore, Kira Bourrett, Sherwin S. Chan, Erin Opfer, Alain Cuna

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Background: Uncertainty in reporting of imaging findings for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) can be challenging for clinicians and result in ambiguity, miscommunication, and potential diagnostic errors. The degree to which uncertainty complicates diagnostic imaging for NEC has not been characterized.

Objective: To determine the degree of uncertainty in diagnostic imaging for NEC.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study using data from a previously completed pilot diagnostic randomized clinical trial (RCT). The study population comprised of preterm infants with suspected NEC who were randomized to either standard imaging with abdominal radiographs (AXR) alone or experimental imaging with AXR + add-on bowel ultrasound …

Common Misperceptions Of Child Abuse In Toddler Femur Fractures, Olivia Pruss, Jonathan Warren, Vincent Staggs, Grace Tideman, Collin Erickson, William L. Hennrikus, Richard M. Schwend

Research Days

Background: Current AAOS guidelines recommend that all children younger than thirty-six months with a femur fracture be evaluated for child abuse. However, the chance for abuse in walking-age children is highly unlikely at less than 20%.

Objectives/Goal: The purpose of this study is to identify how a patient’s age and femur fracture morphology impact the likelihood that providers assess a fracture as non-accidental and their decision to pursue further investigation of possible child abuse.

Methods/Design: This was a questionnaire study completed by clinicians from multiple specialties. There were 5 subgroup populations (6, 12, 18, 24, 35 months old) combined with …

Drug Ideologies Of The United States, Macy Montgomery

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

The United States has been increasingly creating lenient drug policies. Seventeen states and Washington, the District of Columbia, legalized marijuana, and Oregon decriminalized certain drugs, including methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. The medical community has proven that drugs, including marijuana, have myriad adverse health side effects. This leads to two questions: Why does the United States government continue to create lenient drug policies, and what reasons do citizens give for legalizing drugs when the medical community has proven them harmful? The paper hypothesizes that the disadvantages of drug legalization outweigh its benefits because of the numerous harms it causes, such as …

Management Of Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax In Children: A Single Institution Protocol Analysis, Shai Stewart Md, James Fraser, Nelimar Cruz-Centeno, Derek Marlor, Rebecca M. Rentea, Pablo Aguayo, David Juang, Jason D. Fraser, Charles L. Snyder, Richard J. Hendrickson, Tolulope A. Oyetunji, Shawn D. St.Peter

Research Days

Background: Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) affects 3.4 per 100,000 children in the United States. Regardless of the initial management, additional procedures, and prolonged hospital length of stay (LOS) may occur. There is currently no consensus in the pediatric surgical community on the optimal management of these patients, which has resulted in marked variability in management. The Midwest Pediatric Surgery Consortium (MWPSC), of which our site is a participant, suggested a management algorithm to include simple aspiration upon presentation, and if this fails, VATS should be considered.

Objectives/Goal: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of instituting a …

Sepsis-Induced Acute Lung Injury (Ali) And The Development Of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (Bpd) In Premature Infants., Jacob S. Ward, Hung-Wen Yeh, Megan Tucker, Venkatesh Sampath

Research Days

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in premature infants with several known risk factors. Recent literature described the harmful effect of inflammation on the developing lung. Recently, we showed that late-onset sepsis (LOS) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) causes acute lung injury (ALI) in preterm infants as measured by increases in pulmonary severity scores (PSS). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between LOS-induced ALI and BPD outcomes. We hypothesized that LOS would increase the likelihood of developing BPD, and the associated LOS-induced ALI will add to the ability to predict development …

Institutional Outcomes Of Blunt Liver & Splenic Injury In The Atomac Era, Shai Stewart Md, James Fraser, Rebecca M. Rentea, Pablo Aguayo, David Juang, Jason D. Fraser, Charles L. Snyder, Richard J. Hendrickson, Shawn D. St.Peter, Tolulope A. Oyetunji

Research Days

Background: The Arizona-Texas-Oklahoma-Memphis-Arkansas Consortium (ATOMAC) practice management guideline (PMG) was created to standardize management of blunt liver or spleen injury (BLSI) across pediatric trauma centers. Evaluations of institutional outcomes after its adoption remain scarce. We describe our outcomes since PMG adoption at our institution.

Objectives/Goal: The purpose of this study was to assess patient outcomes and resource utilization after implementation of this protocol. We hypothesized there is no difference in length of stay (LOS) or complications regardless of grade of isolated injuries to the liver or spleen. In addition, there is limited guidance on the management of concurrent injuries to …

Predicting Avascular Necrosis After Unstable Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis, Jonathan Warren, Alexander Metoxen, Michael Held, Brant Ansley, Berglund Lisa

Research Days

Background: There is no consensus in the literature on the risk of developing avascular necrosis (AVN) after unstable slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). In recent years, a number of studies have sought to better characterize risk factors for AVN in this population. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no study that uses predictive modeling to assess the chance of developing AVN based on different patient-centric factors.

Objectives/Goal: Our goal is to assess whether or not previously-published risk factors for AVN in unstable SCFE such as duration of symptoms, reduction type, type of surgery, timing of surgery, and …

Laparoscopic Versus Open Inguinal Hernia Repair: A Single Institution Comparison Of 1200 Patients, Shai Stewart Md, Wendy Jo Svetanoff, James Fraser, Rebecca M. Rentea, Pablo Aguayo, David Juang, Jason D. Fraser, Charles L. Snyder, Richard J. Hendrickson, Shawn D. St.Peter, Tolulope A. Oyetunji

Research Days

Background: : Laparoscopy has become the standard of care for many pediatric surgical procedures; however, there is no consensus regarding the optimal approach for inguinal hernia repair (IHR). We report our experience over an 8-year period with open and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (LIHR).

Objectives/Goal: We aim to describe our experience within a free-standing tertiary care pediatric institution and compare outcomes between open and laparoscopic repair of pediatric inguinal hernias.

Methods/Design: A retrospective review of patients under 18 years who underwent IHR between June 2010 and June 2017 was performed. The open technique utilizes high ligation of the internal ring, …

“There’S A Difference In Practice When You Have To Make The Decision”: Autonomy In Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship, Katherine Dunne, Vivek Dubey, Sarkan Toy, Camryn Martinez, Kelsey Gavin, Christopher S. Kennedy

Research Days

Background: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education allows individual training programs to define appropriate supervision and autonomy commensurate with the trainees’ knowledge, clinical competence, and patient complexity and acuity. In pediatric emergency medicine (PEM), supervision is not standardized and subject to supervisor discretion, creating variability in trainee autonomy.

Objectives/Goal: To explore the concept of autonomy from the perspectives of PEM fellows and faculty.

Methods/Design: We conducted a qualitative study consisting of semi-structured interviews of PEM fellows and faculty from a large, single-center pediatric emergency medicine fellowship program. A trained interviewer conducted the interviews over an electronic interview platform. Audio …

A Novel Approach For Laparoscopic Direct Inguinal Hernia Repair In Children, Shai Stewart Md, Charlene Dekonenko, Nelimar Cruz-Centeno, Derek Marlor, Jason D. Fraser

Research Days

Background: Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common operations performed by pediatric surgeons, and the frequency of laparoscopy for repair is increasing. The vast majority of these are indirect hernias and therefore how to best repair a direct defect when seen during laparoscopy is still unknown. Simple high ligation of the hernia sac (as is done in an indirect hernia) does not repair the inguinal floor weakness/defect seen in a direct hernia.

Objectives/Goal: We therefore present a case of laparoscopic bilateral indirect and direct inguinal hernia repair, commonly known as pantaloon hernia, repaired without mesh and utilizing the …

Institutional Use Of Ultrasound In The Evaluation Of Cryptorchidism, Shai Stewart Md, Dae H. Kim, Nelimar Cruz-Centeno, Derek Marlor, James Fraser, Tolulope A. Oyetunji Md Mph, Shawn D. St.Peter

Research Days

Background, Objectives/Goal, Methods/Design, Results, Conclusions limited to 500 words Background: In 2014, the American Urological Association guidelines recommended against the performance of ultrasound and other imaging modalities in the evaluation of patients with cryptorchidism prior to expert consultation. We hypothesized that ultrasound remains overused by referring physicians.

Objectives/Goal: We aimed to examine our institutional experience and measure adherence to currently available guidelines.

Methods/Design: An institutional review board (IRB) approved retrospective review of ultrasound utilization in the evaluation of patients with cryptorchidism was performed from June 1, 2016, to June 30, 2018, at a single tertiary level pediatric hospital.

Results: We …

Antibiotic Monotherapy Vs Dual-Drug Therapy In Perforated Appendicitis: Single Center Retrospective Review, Shai Stewart Md, Nelimar Cruz-Centeno, Derek Marlor, Dae H. Kim, Shawn D. St Peter, Tolulope A. Oyetunji Md Mph

Research Days

Background: The optimal antibiotic regimen in perforated appendicitis to reduce intraabdominal abscess (IAA) formation has not yet been agreed upon in the pediatric surgery community. We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of patients with perforated appendicitis when intravenous antibiotic monotherapy with Piperacillin-Tazobactam (PT) versus dual-drug therapy with Ceftriaxone and Metronidazole (CM) are administered. We hypothesized there is no difference in the rate of IAA formation with antibiotic monotherapy, as opposed to our once-daily dosed, institutional standard dual-drug therapy.

Objectives/Goal: The goal was to determine if our current management protocols for acute appendicitis were delivering the best possible results for our …

Two Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (Ais) Cases, Two Surgeons, One Operating Room, One Day. Faster And Safer Than One Case In A Day., Jonathan Warren, Robert C. Link, Sean Bonanni, John T. Anderson, Richard M. Schwend

Research Days

Background: To lessen surgical times for AIS patients undergoing posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion (PSIF), our department developed a quality improvement initiative where two AIS cases were completed in one day by a specialized team with two surgeons operating together in the same operating room (OR).

Objectives/Goal: Our purpose is to describe the results of this initiative and compare operative times and outcomes to single cases completed by a single surgeon during the same period.

Methods/Design: From 2017-2023, patients aged 10-18 years with AIS were scheduled to undergo primary PSIF on the dedicated “Two Spine Tuesday” at our institution (Group …

A Cadaveric Case Study On Lung Cancer Pathology, Anna Beth Boyette, Sarah Kate Boyette, Haley Garrett, Janai Groves, Perry Chandler Mullis, Sofia Sirocchi, Shiv Dhiman, Savita Arya

Research Day

INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer amongst both genders, currently accounting for about 18% of all cancer deaths.

OBJECTIVES: The overall purpose of this study was to evaluate the pathology associated with the patient’s cause of death, cardiorespiratory failure and lung cancer. The secondary aims of this study were to confirm the presence of malignant neoplasms within a human cadaver, determine the type of cancer present, and take specimens for histological examination to evaluate the patient’s cause of death.

METHODS: This is a case report from one of the cadavers in the Gross Anatomy laboratory at the …

Case Series Of Common Skin Lesions Encountered In Elderly Cadavers: A Dermatopathology Analysis, Tamryn L. Van Der Horn, Brigitte L. Cochran, Savita Arya

Research Day

INTRODUCTION: Gaining hands-on experience in both dermatology and pathology is a common barrier that prevents first and second year medical students from refining skills that are not later taught until residency. This prompted a study to develop gross differential diagnostic skills and how to analyze histopathology slides to diagnose common skin lesions to refine skills in both clinical and histology presentation for medical students.

METHODS: A case series was designed to examine multiple shave biopsies on all abnormal skin lesions observed from nine cadavers used for the first-year medical students gross anatomy lab during the year 2022-2023. Biopsies were stained …

Study Of Liver Based On Histopathological Patterns Of Liver Damage, Destiny Sciuva, Didem Aydin, Savita Arya

Research Day

INTRODUCTION: Liver histopathology patterns are an essential component of the diagnostic process for liver disease. If left untreated, liver disease can lead to liver cancer and liver failure. The American Liver Foundation stated that liver disease and cirrhosis was the twelve leading cause of death in the United States in 2020. As such, this is a significant field of study for further research as this is a primary public health concern.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the histopathological patterns of liver damage and their associations with different liver diseases from elderly cadavers in the South East United States regions. …

Colonic Stenosis In An Elderly Female, Tiffany R. Pittman, Kylie A. Parrish, Grace M. Perry, Oyindamola C. Orekoya, Shiv Dhiman, Savita Arya

Research Day

Introduction

Colonic stenosis is commonly caused by chronic inflammation and is a known side effect of inflammatory conditions, such as diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome. Diverticulosis is a common condition where parts of the colon wall become weakened, forming outpouches. These outpouchings may become inflamed, leading to diverticulitis. This chronic inflammation can cause scarring and fibrosis of the colon, resulting in colonic stenosis. Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, may also result in scarring and colonic stenosis. The incidence rate of patients developing colonic stenosis is 8-13.5% for Crohn's disease and 1-11% for ulcerative colitis. Patients …

Evaluation Of Caffeine And Taurine Administration In Improving Neurodegenerative Dysfunction In Caenorhabditis Elegans Overexpressing The App Ortholog: Apl-1, Perry Chandler Mullis, Heather M. Cathcart

Research Day

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is characterized by an over-accumulation of β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary Tau tangles present within the brain, contributing to associative neurodegeneration. Taurine is an essential amino acid found within the nervous system; however, it is one of a few amino acids not required in routine protein synthesis. Caffeine and taurine have both been identified as active ingredients in energy drinks with the benefit of improving nervous system function, supporting neural recovery, and synaptogenesis. In previous studies, taurine has been shown to increase memory retention in animal models, and consumption of caffeine reflects improvement in locomotion, memory, and …