Medical Specialties Commons^™

Neonatal Gut Microbiota Alterations And Local Inflammation Induced By Escherichia Coli Infection Are Modified By Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Prophylaxis, Susana Chavez-Bueno, Hao Xuan, Shahid Umar, Concong Zhong, Wei Yu, Venkatesh Sampath

Presentations

Background: E. coli is a leading cause of neonatal sepsis. Newborns ingest E. coli, which transcytoses the gut producing bacteremia. Lactobacillus spp. decrease E. coli gut transcytosis but the mechanisms involved in this protective effect are not well understood.

Objective: To determine the effects of Lactobacillus pretreatment on the intestinal microbiota and inflammation in neonatal rats orally infected with E. coli.

Design/Methods: Newborn rats were orally pretreated on day of life (DOL) 1 and 2 with four doses of 107 colony forming units (CFU) of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) or PBS. On DOL 2, pups received orally 106 CFU of …

Neurodevelopmental Profiles Of Infants Born < 30 Weeks' Gestation At 2 Years Of Age, Marie Camerota, Elisabeth C. Mcgowan, Julie A. Hofheimer, T. Michael O'Shea, Brian S. Carter, Jennifer Helderman, Jennifer Check, Charles R. Neal, Steven L. Pastyrnak, Lynne Smith, Cynthia Loncar, Stephen Sheinkopf, Lynne Dansereau, Sheri A. Dellagrotta, Barry Lester

Presentations

Background: Infants born (PMA) are at increased risk for neurodevelopmental impairment by age 2. Prior studies have tended to examine individual outcomes separately, rather than investigating whether there are subgroups of children with distinct neurobehavioral profiles.

Objective: To determine distinct neurodevelopmental profiles in 2 year old children born cognitive, language, motor, and behavioral characteristics.

Design/Methods: NOVI (Neonatal Neurobehavior and Outcomes in Very Preterm Infants) is a multi-center study of infants born (BSID-III) subscale scores, Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) syndrome scores, diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP; Gross Motor Function Classification System and abnormal neurologic exam), and positive screen for autism spectrum …

Biopharmaceutical Characteristics Of Nifurtimox Tablets For Age- And Body Weight-Adjusted Dosing In Patients With Chagas Disease., Heino Stass, Ethel Feleder, Facundo Garcia-Bournissen, Johannes Nagelschmitz, Boris Weimann, Gustavo Yerino, Jaime Altcheh

Paediatrics Publications

Treatment of Chagas disease with nifurtimox requires age- and body weight-adjusted dosing, resulting in complex dosing instructions. Appropriate formulations are needed for precise and compliant dosing, especially in pediatric patients. We characterized the biopharmaceutical features of a standard nifurtimox 120-mg tablet and a 30-mg tablet developed to improve dose accuracy. Two open-label, randomized crossover studies were conducted in adult outpatients with Chagas disease. One study investigated whether 4 × 30-mg tablets and 1 × 120-mg tablet were bioequivalent and whether tablets can be administered as an aqueous slurry without affecting bioavailability. The second study investigated the effect of a high-calorie/high-fat …

The Association Between Age And Unrecognized And Untreated Hypertension In Children With Chronic Kidney Disease, Chloe Douglas, J Roem, Joseph Flynn, Susan Furth, Bradley A. Warady, Susan Halbach

Presentations

Background: Younger age has been associated with unrecognized hypertension (HTN) in both the general pediatric population and in children on dialysis. An increased lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease and the association of HTN with chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression make optimal treatment of elevated blood pressure (BP) a key component of CKD management. However, the role of age in the recognition and treatment of HTN in non-dialysis pediatric CKD remains unknown.

Objective: Using data from the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) Cohort Study, we examined the relationship between age and recognized vs. unrecognized HTN, and the frequency with which …

Neonatal Neurobehavior, Medical Risk, And 2-Year Developmental Outcomes In Infants Born <30 Weeks Gestation, Elizabeth Mcgowan, Marie Camerota, Julie A. Hofheimer, Michael O'Shea, Brian S. Carter, Howard Kilbride, Steven Pastyrnak, Charles R. Neal, Lynne Smith, Jennifer Helderman, Jennifer Check, Lynne Dansereau, Sheri A. Dellagrotta, Barry Lester

Presentations

Background: Among preterm infants, risk of poor outcomes has been linked to neonatal medical illness and neurobehavior. The combined contribution of neonatal medical morbidities and neonatal neurobehavior to 2 year outcomes has yet to be studied.

Objective: To determine associations between NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) profiles, medical risk, and 2 year developmental outcomes.

Design/Methods: Multi-center study of 704 infants born <30 weeks gestation enrolled in the Neonatal Neurobehavior and Outcomes in Very Preterm Infants (NOVI) Study. NNNS were completed prior to NICU discharge and six profiles of neonatal neurobehavior were calculated by latent profile analysis. Two profiles (5 and 6) were considered atypical. Medical risk included brain injury, CLD, ROP, and NEC/sepsis. Outcomes at 2 years were Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III (BSID-III) composite scores and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) T-scores. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were used to test the associations among NNNS profiles, neonatal medical risk, and 2 year developmental outcomes. GEE models accounted for multiple births. Covariates were research site, maternal socioeconomic status (SES), race or ethnicity, maternal primary language, partner status, maternal psychopathology, and infant sex.

Results: Follow-up data were available for 556/704 (78.9%) infants, of which 157 (28.2%) were Profile 5-6. Mother of Profile 5-6 infants were more likely to be non-English speaking and lower SES compared to Profiles 1-4 mothers (Table 1). In …

Using Machine Learning To Identify Metabolomic Signatures Based On Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease Etiology, Arthur Lee, Alison Abraham, Yunwen Xu, Jian Hu, Xia Or, Josef Coresh, Casey Rebholz, J Chen, Eugene Ree, Harold Feldman, Paul Kimmel, Bradley A. Warady, Susan Furth, Michelle Denburg

Presentations

Background: Untargeted plasma metabolomic profiling combined with novel machine learning (ML) tools may lead to the discovery of metabolic profiles that inform our understanding of pediatric chronic kidney disease (CKD) etiologies and identify potential therapeutic targets.

Objective: We sought to identify metabolomic signatures in pediatric CKD based on etiology: focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS), obstructive uropathy (OU), aplasia/dysplasia/hypoplasia (A/D/H), & reflux nephropathy (RN).

Design/Methods: Untargeted GC/MS2 and LC/MS2-based metabolomics quantification (Metabolon) was performed on baseline plasma samples from 702 Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) participants. Participants per etiology were: FSGS (n=63), OU (n=122), A/D/H (n=109), & RN (n=86). Lasso …

Parental Knowledge And Attitudes Towards Food Allergy, Namuli Jane Francis

Master of Medicine in Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Food allergy and other allergen-induced diseases are an increasing problem globally. This has been documented in studies done in Western countries as well as some parts of Africa. The prevalence of food allergy is highest during the first 2 years of life. For allergen-induced illness, avoidance of triggers and prevention of fatal reactions are the mainstay of treatment. Unnecessary withdrawal of suspected protein-rich foods at a time that is critical for children’s growth may lead to malnutrition and its related complications. This study aimed to understand the gaps in knowledge and misconceptions about food allergy among parents as these …

Power Training Improves The Sensorimotor Cortical Oscillations In Youth With Cerebral Palsy, Morgan Busboom, Anna Reelfs, Mike Trevarrow, Brad Corr, Heidi Reelfs, Sarah Baker, Hannah Bergwell, Tony W. Wilson, Max J. Kurz

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background: Our magnetoencephalographic (MEG) brain imaging studies have shown that youth with cerebral palsy (CP) demonstrate altered sensorimotor beta (18-24Hz) cortical oscillations when controlling their leg motor actions and these anomalous cortical oscillations are linked with the extent of their mobility impairments. Current therapeutic trends for improving mobility have shifted from strength training to high-velocity power training, which has shown improvements in isokinetic strength, power production and mobility of youth with CP. However, no studies have assessed whether these clinically relevant improvements are linked with changes in the sensorimotor cortical oscillations. The objective of this study was to utilize MEG …

Novel Mouse Model For Analysis Of Macrophage Function In Neuroblastoma, Gabrielle L. Brumfield, Shelby M. Knoche, Alaina C. Larson, Brittany Poelaert, Benjamin T. Goetz, Poomy Pandey, Don W. Coulter, Joyce C. Solheim

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background: Neuroblastoma is the third most common childhood cancer and accounts for 12% of cancer-associated deaths in children under the age of 15. Patients with high risk neuroblastoma have a poor 5-year survival rate of less than 50%. Neuroblastoma tumors treated with the histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) vorinostat have increased infiltration of macrophages with upregulated immune cell-surface receptors. Neuroblastoma cells release VEGF and M-CSF, which may alter intratumoral macrophage populations. VEGF has also been implicated in alteration of amyloid precursor protein family processing. Our lab demonstrated that amyloid precursor protein 2 (APLP2), a member of the amyloid precursor protein …

Evaluation Of Brain Cholesterol Metabolism After Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury, Amanda Dave, Luke Allen, Zeljka Korade, Eric Peeples

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Introduction

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI), resulting from impaired cerebral blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain, affects at least 1.5 per 1,000 live births each year in the United States. Altered levels of cholesterol and cholesterol metabolites have been identified in brain tissue and in serum after adult brain injury such as traumatic brain injury and stroke. We hypothesized that there would be temporal and brain region-specific alterations in cholesterol and sterol precursors after neonatal HIBI.

Methods

Postnatal day 9 CD1 mouse pups were anesthetized with isoflurane and randomized to HIBI induced by carotid artery ligation or controls …

Reducing Alarm Burden By Promoting Judicious Ordering Of Continuous Pulse Oximetry, Kathleen Berg, David Johnson, Ginny Nyberg, Andrew Ausmus, Christine Claeys, Emily Wilkinson, Nicholas Clark

Presentations

Background: Overutilization of continuous pulse oximetry (CPO) contributes to overdiagnosis and prolonged supplemental oxygen utilization. It may also negatively impact patient sleep, mobility, length of stay (LOS), and cost. Response times to actionable alarms increase with the number of non-actionable alarms. Our baseline data revealed an average of 29.6 pulse oximetry monitor alarms sounded for each admitted patient each day of their hospitalization. Most notably, 38.7% of pulse oximetry alarms were for ≥88% which is generally considered non-actionable.

Objective: We aimed to decrease both total pulse oximetry alarms per patient day and alarms for ≥88% per patient day by 20%, …

Child Maltreatment And Neglect In The United Arab Emirates And Relationship With Low Self-Esteem And Symptoms Of Depression, Syed M. Shah, Gul Nowshad, Fatima Al Dhaheri, Mariam H. Al-Shamsi, Alfan M. Al-Ketbi, Alaa Galadari, Priyam Joshi, Heba Bendak, Michal Grivna, Danilo Arnone

Department of Family Medicine

Objectives: To our knowledge, this study is the first in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to investigate the prevalence of child maltreatment in relation to depressive symptoms and self-esteem.
Study design: Exposure to physical maltreatment, emotional abuse and neglect was evaluated in 518 adolescents (86% response rate) randomly selected from schools in Al Ain in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The Rosenberg self-esteem scale and the Beck Depression Inventory were used to measure self-esteem and depressive symptoms by using multivariate logistic regression analyses.
Results: The mean age of study participants was 14.3 years. Emotional abuse was the most frequent form …

Impact Of Early Tracheostomy On Neurodevelopmental Outcome Of Infants With Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Exposed To Postnatal Steroids, Amjad Taha, Gangaram Akangire, Janelle R. Noel-Macdonnell Phd, Tiffany Willis, Winston M. Manimtim

Posters

Background: BPD is associated with neurodevelopmental impairment. Tracheostomy is performed in 5-12% of severe BPD for prolonged ventilation. There is evidence that chronic ventilation with tracheostomy in severe BPD may facilitate neurodevelopment and lead to improved outcome. However, there is no consensus on the optimal timing of tracheostomy. A large multicenter study of infants with tracheostomy performed at <120 days of life had better neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18-22 months of age. Use of steroids postnatally to ameliorate the severity of BPD had been controversial due to its negative effect on neurodevelopment. To date, no data has specifically evaluated the impact of early tracheostomy on neurodevelopmental outcome of infants with severe BPD who are exposed to postnatal steroids.


Objective: To compare cognitive, language and motor scores among 3 groups of severe BPD infants who received early vs late vs no tracheostomy. Secondly, evaluate if postnatal steroids had an additive negative effect on neurodevelopmental outcomes.


Design/Methods: IRB approved retrospective cohort of …

Association Between Esa Dose And Blood Pressure In Pediatric Patients On Dialysis, Heather A. Morgans, Judith Sebestyen Vansickle, Franz Schaefer, Bradley A. Warady

Posters

Background: Hypertension is a reported side effect of Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents (ESAs), with a mechanism of action related to elevated hematocrit levels and direct vasopressor effects. Limited information exists on the relationship between ESA dosage and hypertension in children receiving maintenance dialysis.


Objective: The primary aim of this study was to determine whether there is a significant correlation between ESA dose and blood pressure (BP) in pediatric patients on dialysis. The secondary aim was to determine confounding variables in relation to ESA dose and BP.


Design/Methods: Data from the International Pediatric Dialysis Network (IPDN) database was used to retrospectively evaluate …

C-Reactive Protein Values To Predict Sepsis-Induced Inflammatory Response In Premature Infants, Megan Tucker, Hung-Wen Yeh, Daniel K. Oh, Venkatesh Sampath

Posters

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory marker that has been recognized as a biomarker of the systemic inflammatory response in preterm neonates. We hypothesized that initial and peak CRP values would correlate with the degree of sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI) as measured by the pulmonary severity score (PSS).


Objective: 1) Determine if confirmed (CF) sepsis events are associated with higher initial and peak CRP values than rule out (RO) sepsis events. 2) Investigate if initial and/or peak CRP correlates with severity of sepsis-induced ALI as measured by the PSS.


Design/Methods: In this retrospective case control study, we included …

Utilization Of Enteral Tranexamic Acid To Stabilize Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage In Pediatric Patients On Ecmo, Gina Patel, Jenna Miller, Thomas M. Attard, Asdis Finnsdottir Wagner

Posters

Hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) support are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. There is a paucity of literature describing the incidence and management of Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding on ECMO. We describe the use of enteral tranexamic acid (TXA) as an alternative strategy in two pediatric patients with GI hemorrhage on ECMO. Case 1 A 5-year-old with Wilms Tumor required Veno-Venous ECMO due to respiratory failure associated with pulmonary hemorrhage and air-leak syndrome. Her course was complicated by severe GI hemorrhage refractory to IV proton pump inhibitor (PPI), IV TXA and octreotide infusions. Concomitant IV TXA …

Evaluation Of The Hypothesis That Viral Meningitis Is A Mimic Of Abusive Head Trauma, Danielle Horton, Tanya Burrell, James Anderst, Lyndsey Hultman, Mary Moffatt, Henry T. Puls, Rangaraj Selvarangan

Posters

Background: Viral meningitis (VM) has been proposed as an alternative cause of subdural hemorrhage (SDH) in young children diagnosed with abusive head trauma (AHT). It has been proposed that VM may mimic symptoms and clinical features of AHT, resulting in an incorrect diagnosis of abuse.


Objective: We aim to evaluate the hypothesis that VM is a mimic of AHT by comparing the history of present illness (HPI) and initial clinical presentation of young children with proven VM to those with subdural hemorrhage and concomitant suspicious injuries (SDH + CSIs) and to those with SDH and no CSIs (SDH only). We …

Congenital Mitral Valve Regurgitation, The Dilemma Of Repair Versus Replacement, Bianca Cherestal, Doaa Aly

Posters

Background: Congenital mitral regurgitation is a rare condition and can be challenging to manage when presenting in the neonatal period.

Case: Two week old male presented with poor weight gain, murmur and cardiomegaly on chest X-ray. Echocardiogram showed moderate to severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and suprasystemic pulmonary hypertension (PHN) (fig 1 a, b). The mitral valve (MV) leaflets were thickened and tethered with failure of central coaptation. PHN was classified as WHO I and II (due to persistent PHN of newborn and MR respectively). Inhaled nitric oxide, Enalapril and Furosemide were initiated. Cardiac catheterization revealed PVRi of 8.9 WU x …

Simulation Based Clinical Systems Testing Of A Pediatric Ed To Improve Staff And Process Readiness For Pediatric Hypoglycemia, Kevin Meilak Md, Christopher S. Kennedy

Posters

Background: Hypoglycemia is the most common metabolic disorder in children in pediatric emergency department (ED) settings 1. Children may present with nonspecific symptoms, or asymptomatically2. So identification/treatment is very challenging. Delayed recognition and under treatment can lead to poor patient outcomes including seizure, coma, and death. Simulation-based clinical systems tests (SbCSTs) are useful to detect gaps/latent safety threats (LSTs) in system design.3-5


Objective: Our aim was to use SbCSTs combined with rapid cycle training to test system function for ED treatment of hypoglycemia.3-5. The research questions were in 2 frames: 1. Can SbCSTs identify gaps/LSTs and recommendations for improvement and …

Assessing The Effects Of Social Determinants On Serious Safety Events, Lisa L. Schroeder, Jessi Van Roekel, John Cowden

Posters

Background: We have long known that various social determinants of health (SDH) such as race, gender, socioeconomic status and others can affect health outcomes, such as readmission rates and mortality. To our knowledge, the impact of SDH on safety events has not been studied.


Objective: We sought to understand the role that social determinants may play in contributing to safety events at our institution and to incorporate this information into the creation of corrective action items following the serious safety event.


Design/Methods: The Clinical Safety team partnered with the Office of Equity and Diversity to develop a standard question regarding …

The Evolving Effectiveness Of Biologics In Avoiding Surgery In Children With Ulcerative Colitis., Mohineesh Kumar, Samuel K. Osei, Ayesha Fatima, Rachel N. Harvey, Alexander Menning, Anthony Stallion, Nathan Novotny

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Purpose

Pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC) treatment has changed dramatically with the introduction of multiple biologics in recent years. The purpose of this study was to assess effectiveness of biologic agents in achieving remission and incidence of surgery.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed UC patients that were seen at gastroenterology clinic between January 2012-August 2020. We analyzed demographic characteristics, colonoscopy, clinic and hospital records. Patients were divided into four groups: 1) patients treated medically without biologics or surgery; 2) patients treated with one biologic; 3) patients treated with multiple biologics; and 4) patients that underwent colectomy. Pearson Chi-square test was used to …

Where Are They Now? Spanish Utilization And Career Direction Of Graduates Of A Pediatric Bilingual Continuity Clinic, Jodi Dickmeyer, Katie Mcanany, Sarah Stone, John Cowden

Posters

Background: The Clínica Hispana de Cuidados de Salud (CHiCoS) Program was created in 2009 to prepare bilingual (English-Spanish) pediatric residents to independently give safe, effective care to Spanish-speaking families. By providing 1:1 support from a culture and language coach over three years of residency, CHiCoS has improved residents’ cultural and linguistic skills and families' perceptions of care. The effects of such training on residents’ future careers have not been formally studied.


Objective: To describe the careers of former CHiCoS residents, the impact of culture and language training on their practice, and opportunities for post-CHiCoS cultural and language training.


Design/Methods: In …

Tiny Tusks Internship: Marketing Towards Breastfeeding: How Marketing Can Either Help Or Hinder How Breastfeeding Is Perceived, Hailey Tremmel

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding and Infant Support is a program run by faculty and students in the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing program that allows for breastfeeding mothers in attendance at the University of Arkansas sporting events to have a place to pump or provide care to their infant. How marketing towards breastfeeding is portrayed has a huge impact on helping breastfeeding mothers to feel properly educated and supported about the decision to breastfeed. The purpose of this literature review is to demonstrate how marketing tactics can affect the view of breastfeeding, whether that be positive or negative. The results found …

Differences In Ed And Inpatient Utilization By Location Of Primary Care: Co-Location At A Head Start Center Vs. Academic Primary Care Clinic Setting, Rupal Gupta, Jeffrey D. Colvin

Posters

Background: Children (ED) and inpatient utilization. Co-location of a primary care clinic within a Head Start center (HSC) includes nursing surveillance of classrooms and same-day primary care access, which allows students at the HSC to be seen immediately for acute care during the day. Consequently, co-location of primary care within a HSC may reduce barriers to acute care for those students, thereby lowering their ED and inpatient utilization.


Objective: To compare ED and inpatient utilization of students from a HSC with co-located primary care to patients treated at an academic primary care clinic (APCC).


Design/Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, …

Learning From The Past: A Novel And Sustainable Initiative To Reducing Unplanned Extubations In A Level Iv Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Yonatan Kurland, Dena Hubbard, Eugenia K. Pallotto

Posters

Background: Unplanned extubations (UPEs) are a cause of significant morbidity and mortality in neonates. Multiple successful interventions had been previously implemented in our NICU including standardized endotracheal tube (ETT) securement procedures, bedside checklists, and multi-disciplinary debriefing. In our unit greater than 65% of UPEs occur in neonates under 1.5kg who are particularly sensitive to small adjustments in tube position. We designed a novel approach to reducing UPEs in this patient population.

Objective:


Design/Methods: We hypothesized that increased awareness of historical ETT position would both prevent unnecessary ETT position adjustments and encourage prophylactic adjustments to adjust for significant weight gain or …

How Covid-19 Has Fundamentally Changed Clinical Research In Global Health, Jay J H. Park, Robin Mogg, Gerald E. Smith, Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu, Fyezah Jehan, Craig R. Rayner, Jeanine Condo, Eric H. Decloedt, Jean B. Nachega, Gilmar Reis, Edward J. Mills

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

COVID-19 has had negative repercussions on the entire global population. Despite there being a common goal that should have unified resources and efforts, there have been an overwhelmingly large number of clinical trials that have been registered that are of questionable methodological quality. As the final paper of this Series, we discuss how the medical research community has responded to COVID-19. We recognise the incredible pressure that this pandemic has put on researchers, regulators, and policy makers, all of whom were doing their best to move quickly but safely in a time of tremendous uncertainty. However, the research community's response …

Referral Pattern And Outcomes Of Neonates From Secondary Care Setting Of Aga Khan University Hospital To Tertiary Care Centers In Pakistan, Suneeta Khemani, Nazia Shamim, Adnan Mirza, Nadia Mohammad, Safdar Kagazwala, Shakeel Ahmed

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Objective: To determine the reasons of neonatal referrals from secondary-care to tertiary-care setting, and to assess neonatal outcomes for the referred cases.
Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised data from July 2015 to June 2019 Related to all neonates born after 32 weeks of gestation at the satellite secondary-care centres in Kharadar, Garden and Karimabad who had been referred to the main tertiary care hospital. The reason for referral, need of mechanical ventilation, referral place and neonatal outcome were noted. Data was analysed using SPSS 22.
Results: Of the 348 cases, …

Gastrointestinal Complications In Critically Ill Children: Experience From A Resource-Limited Country, Sidra Ishaque, Mariam Shakir, Asma Akbar Ladak, Anwar Ul Haque

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Objectives: To determine the frequency and predictors of outcome of gastrointestinal complications (GIC) in critically ill children.
Methods: This descriptive study was prospectively conducted in The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Karachi, from September 2015 to January 2017. After obtaining approval from the Ethical Review Committee of AKUH and informed consent from the parents, all children (aged one month to 18 years), of either gender, admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) during the study period were included. The frequency of the defined GIC: vomiting, high gastric residue volume (GRV), diarrhea, constipation, and …

Neonatal Dna Methylation As A Predictor Of Cognitive, Language, And Motor Performance At 24 Months Adjusted Age, Among Children Born Very Preterm, Stefan Graw, Marie Camerota, Brian S. Carter, Jennifer Helderman, Julie A. Hofheimer, Elizabeth C. Mcgowan, Charles R. Neal, Steven Pastyrnak, Lynne Smith, Michael O'Shea, Barry Lester, Carment Marsit, Todd M. Everson

Presentations

Background: Infants born prematurely are at increased risk for neurodevelopmental impairments during childhood and early neurodevelopment can be influenced by multiple factors (perinatal and environmental exposures, genetics). DNA methylation (DNAm) can also be influenced by these factors and be reflective of health and development, and thus may provide an integrated measure of early life risk for neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Objective: To test whether neonatal DNAm is predictive of cognitive, language, and/or motor performance at 24 months of age in children that were born very preterm.

Design/Methods: We studied 433 neonates born < 30 weeks postmenstrual age in the Neonatal Neurobehavioral Outcomes in Very Preterm Infants (NOVI) study. Neonatal DNAm was measured from buccal swabs at NICU discharge via the Illumina MethylationEPIC BeadArray. Cognitive, motor, and language performance were assessed by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III (BSID-III) at 24 months adjusted age, with mild and moderate impairment defined as composite scores < 85 and < 70. We used an elastic net regression and leave-one-out cross-validation to limit overfitting and selection bias, to identify sets of DNAm sites that were predictive of composite Bayley scores. For the leave-one-out cross-validation, a model was trained on all but one sample to make a prediction on that held-out sample. This step is repeated until each sample was held out and predicted once. In addition, for a given hold-out sample, all siblings were removed from its training set. The performance of predicted composite scores were evaluated by their correlation with the measured Bayley scores and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) based on dichotomized Bayley scores (< 85 and < 70).

Results: We identified sets of DNAm sites (including 33-306 sites) …

Pediatric Rheumatology In Africa: Thriving Amidst Challenges, Angela Migowa, Djohra Hadef, Wafa Hamdi, Oscar Mwizerwa, Madeleine Ngandeu, Yassmin Taha, Faleye Ayodele, Kate Webb, Christiaan Scott

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Background: Pediatric Rheumatology is an orphan specialty in Africa which is gradually gaining importance across the continent.

Main body: This commentary discusses the current state of affairs in the sphere of Pediatric Rheumatology across Africa and offers practical strategies to navigate the challenges encountered in research, models of care, education and training. We outline the establishment, opportunities of growth and achievements of the Pediatric Society of the African League Against Rheumatism (PAFLAR).

Conclusion: This commentary lays the foundation for establishment of a formidable framework and development of partnerships for the prosperity of Pediatric Rheumatology in Africa and beyond.