Pediatrics Commons^™

Utility Of Diagnostic Testing In Patients Who Present With Brief Resolved Unexplained Event, Allayne Stephans, Kathryn Westphal, Erin Sullivan, Matt Hall, Risa Bochner, Adam Cohen, Jennifer Y. Colgan, Atima C. Delaney, Amy Delaroche, Thomas Graf, Beth Harper, Ron L. Kaplan, Hannah C. Neubauer, Mark I. Neuman, Nirav Shastri, Victoria Wilkins, Joel S. Tieder, Manoj Mittal

Presentations

Background: Well appearing infants commonly present with a history of a brief event characterized by changes in color, breathing, muscle tone, or level of alertness. In 1986 the National Institutes of Health coined the term ALTE (Apparent Life-Threatening Event) to describe these events. In 2016 the American Academcy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a guideline that updated the term ALTE to BRUE (Brief Resolved Unexplained Event). This guideline includes a more precise definition and limited recommendations for the evaluation of patients who are designated as lower risk for serious underlying diagnoses. A few small studies have examined the diagnostic yield of …

Use Of Clinical Criteria For Prediction Of Invasive Bacterial Infection In Febrile Infants: Evaluation Of The Pros Criteria, Lyubina Yankova, Mark Neuman, Marie Wang, Adrienne G. Deporre, Sanyukta Desai, Laura Sartori, Richard Marble, Lise Nigrovic, Rianna Leazer, Christopher Pruitt, Christopher Woll, Sahar Rooholamini, Frances Balamuth, Paul Aronson

Presentations

Background: In a 2004 study, the American Academy of Pediatrics Pediatric Research in Office Settings (PROS) network developed clinical criteria that had a sensitivity of 93.6% for identification of febrile infants at low-risk for invasive bacterial infection (IBI). Although application of the PROS criteria would reduce routine testing and emergency department (ED) evaluation for febrile infants in outpatient settings without readily available access to laboratory testing, these criteria have not been externally validated in a contemporary cohort.

Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity of the PROS criteria for IBI in febrile infants ≤60 days old.

Design/Methods: We performed a secondary analysis …

Obesity Does Not Increase Risk For Kidney Replacement Therapy (Krt), But Weight Reduction Improves Kidney Function In Children With Chronic Kidney Disease (Ckd), Amy Kogon, J Roem, Mark Mitsnefes, Babette Zeme, Bradley A. Warady, Susan Furth, Nancy Rodig

Presentations

Background: Obesity is prevalent in pediatric CKD, but its impact on CKD progression is unclear.

Objective: To determine the relationship between obesity/weight changes with CKD progression among children and adolescents enrolled in the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) study.

Design/Methods: Participants were categorized based on body mass index (BMI) as normal, overweight (OW) or obese and those who were underweight were excluded. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and parametric failure time models determined the association of baseline BMI category on time to KRT stratified by non-glomerular (NG) and glomerular (G) etiology of CKD. The distribution of changes in BMI categories within …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Inpatient Utilization And Outcomes For Children With Medical Complexity, Jessica L. Markham, Troy Richardson, Adrienne G. Deporre, Ronald Teufel, Adam Hersh, Eric Feegler, Ryan Antiel, Adam Goldin, Arda Hotz, Jayme Wilder, Samir Shah

Presentations

Background: Children with medical complexity (CMC) are a growing subpopulation of children who require intense engagement with the healthcare system including the involvement of multiple subspecialists and ancillary services. CMC often receive definitive care within children’s hospitals where subspecialty services are concentrated. While studies have reported reductions in emergency department visits and hospitalizations for generally healthy children during the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall impact of the pandemic on CMC has not been well described.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the impact of the early COVID-19 pandemic on inpatient utilization for CMC presenting to US children's hospitals. …

Contraception Counseling Of Adolescents Seeking Care In Pediatric Emergency Departments, Cynthia Mollen, Romina Barral, Tara Ketterer, Jungwon Min, Laurel Gabler, Lauren Poole, Amber Adams, Elizabeth Miller, Aletha Akers, Melissa K. Miller

Presentations

Background: Efforts to increase contraceptive use among adolescents are urgently needed. One approach is to use clinical settings that do not routinely provide contraception services, such as the emergency department (ED). Though many are amenable to ED-based contraceptive care, best practices for providing this care are largely unexplored.

Objective: To assess intention to initiate contraception among adolescent females immediately after receiving ED-based contraceptive counseling, and to assess counseling feasibility, contraception initiation and completion of a follow-up visit for contraceptive care.

Design/Methods: Prospective cohort study in two urban pediatric EDs. Using webinar modules and in-person sessions, advanced practice providers (APPs) were …

Lessons From The Pandemic: How A Children’S Hospital Responded To The Challenges Of Covid-19, John Lantos, Paul Kempinski, Laurie Ellison, Jennifer Watts, Angela Myers

Presentations

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged doctors and hospital administrators as did no other event in our lifetimes. Leaders needed to develop a pandemic command structure with the agility to respond to rapidly evolving situations. They had to deal with drastic financial implications, develop new methods of delivering health care, and collaborate regionally. They learned the importance of communication with staff, policy makers, the local medical community, and the public. They had to allocate of scarce resources internally and externally, and balancing rational policy making against irrational fears. For children’s hospitals, some specific challenges included determining our role in a pandemic that …

The Effect Of Covid-19 On The Detection And Prevalence Of Suicidality In Adolescents, John Lantos, Hung-Wen Yeh, Fajar Raza, Mark Connelly, Shayla Sullivant

Presentations

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic saw changes to the delivery of health services and concerns about psychological morbidity not directly related to COVID infection. We analyzed the effects of the pandemic on our hospital’s program to screen adolescents for suicidality.

Objective: To determine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on 1) a hospital-wide screening program for suicidality in teens; and 2) the prevalence of positive screens for suicidality.

Design/Methods: Our study population was all patients > 12yo seen as inpatients or in the ED or clinics at a children’s hospital in Apr-June in 2019 (T1) and 2020 (T2). Eligible pts were screened …

Using Standardized Scripting To Improve Antibiotic Stewardship In A National Pediatric Urgent Care Collaborative, Amanda Nedved, Melody Fung, Cindy Liu, Rana Hamdy, Amanda Montalbano

Posters

Background: A study using administrative data reported urgent care providers as having the highest rates of inappropriate antibiotic use for upper respiratory illnesses. In a national survey, pediatric urgent care providers reported family expectations as a primary driver for prescribing inappropriate antibiotics. Standardized scripting has been effective at reducing unnecessary antibiotics while increasing family satisfaction.


Objective: To reduce inappropriate prescribing for upper respiratory infections (acute otitis media (AOM), otitis media with effusion (OME), and pharyngitis) in pediatric urgent cares by 20% by December 1, 2020 through use of standardized scripting in Year 2 of a national pediatric urgent care quality …

Pediatric Resident Reflections From A Non-Medical Home Visit Of A Child With Medical Complexity, Emily J. Goodwin, Sheryl Chadwick, Deejo Miller, Kathryn Taff, Amanda Montalbano

Posters

Background: Pediatric residents typically only interact with patients and families in healthcare settings which limits the opportunity to fully understand the patient and family experience. Encounters with children with medical complexity (CMC) that only relate to illness or health monitoring can anchor residents to false preconceptions and limit their ability to practice patient- and family-centered care (PFCC). The core principles of PFCC include acknowledging patient and family expertise and strengths, encouraging their input, and appreciating the value of their observations and perceptions.


Objective: To explore how a home visit program with patients and families serving as faculty could instill the …

Household Income, Psychosocial Stressors, And Risk Factors For Sleep-Related Infant Deaths, Jeffrey D. Colvin, Isabella Zaniletti, Carolyn Ahlers-Schmidt, Vicki Collie-Akers, Christy Schunn, Rosemary Nabaweesi, Debbie Cheney, Rachel Y. Moon

Posters

Background: Sleep-related infant deaths (e.g., SIDS, accidental suffocation, undetermined) are the leading cause of postneonatal mortality. Infants from low income families have higher rates of sleep-related deaths. Other risk factors for sleep-related death include nonsupine sleep position, bedsharing, maternal smoking, sleeping in separate room, soft bedding, and breastfeeding <8 weeks. Little is known about how these risk factors vary by income or if psychosocial stressors, social services, and education of parents from healthcare providers about risk factors influence these risks among low income families.


Objective: Aim 1: Describe differences in risk factors for sleep-related infant death by family income. Aim 2: Among low income families, describe differences in risk factors by psychosocial stressors, services, and risk-factor education.


Design/Methods: We analyzed 2016-2017 CDC Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring Study (PRAMS) data in 47 states. PRAMS questions mothers of …

Simulation Based Clinical Systems Testing In The Pediatric Emergency Department To Prepare For Covid-19 Pandemic, Christopher S. Kennedy, Marc Sycip, Lisa Ell, Shautonja Woods

Posters

Background: The COVID-19 prompted pediatric emergency departments (PED) to prepare for a surge in patients. In response, guidelines developed represent “work as imagined” and may not reflect work as done. In situ simulations could identify gaps and help to mitigate errors. Simulation-based clinical systems tests (SbCSTs) can detect latent safety threats (LSTs) in systems design.


Objective: Our aim was to use SbCSTs combined with rapid cycle training to test hospital system modifications for ED preparation. This method represenst a new application of SbCSTs. The research questions were in 2 frames: 1. Can rapidly deployed SbCSTs identify LSTs and recommendations for …

A Smarter Way To Round, Charles Maloy, Adrienne G. Deporre, Erica Adams, Jessica Olson, Amber Hunley, Darcy K. Weidemann

Posters

Background: Communication is a key driver of health care outcomes. Poor communication practices contribute to sentinel safety events, poor family/patient experiences, and delays in care. Use of checklists in the healthcare setting is important to the development of high reliability and is increasingly common, however, the development and implementation of medical checklists for the standard patient floor are inadequately described.


Objective: To develop a sustainable rounding checklist for multidisciplinary discussion of patient safety measures and clinical plans.


Design/Methods: Key stakeholders in the rounding process (subspecialty and general pediatrics physicians, resident physician, bedside nurses, and nursing leadership) created a rounding checklist …

A Deleterious Ephb4 Mutation Suppresses Prox1 Expression And Disrupts Lymphatic Development In Neonatal Non-Immune Hydrops, Gangaram Akangire, Heather Menden, Sheng Xia, Atif Ahmed, Venkatesh Sampath

Posters

Background: Non-immune hydrops fetalis is often a fatal condition and in 20% of cases related to lymphatic anomalies. Maldevelopment of lymphatic valves, atretic or absence of central lymphatic vessels has been described in hydrops fetalis, but the genetic basis of these anomalies remains undefined. Recent reports suggest that Ephrin type B receptor 4 (EPHB4) gene has a significant role in embryonic development of lymphatic system. To test the hypothesis that EPHB4 mutations can cause hydrops fetalis, we combined whole exome sequencing (WES) with functional and pathological analysis of an infant who succumbed to neonatal hydrops.


Objective: To discover the possible …

A Novel Way To Describe Variation In Antibiotic Use, Adrienne G. Deporre, Troy Richardson, Jason Newland, Mark Neuman

Posters

Background: A broader understanding of antibiotic variation can inform stewardship efforts. Diversity indices are frequently calculated in ecologic studies to measure the variety of species in a given habitat, however they have not yet been used to study variation in antibiotic use in the healthcare setting.


Objective: To develop a novel assessment of antibiotic variation, based on the breadth of an antibiotic’s associated conditions as well as its use, measured by days of therapy (DOT).


Design/Methods: We assessed antibiotic use in children aged 60 days-18 years hospitalized at a US Children’s hospital included in the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) …

Parental Health Literacy And Acute Care Utilization In Children With Medical Complexity, Emily J. Goodwin, Joy L. Solano, Jessica L. Bettenhausen, Ryan Coller, Adrienne G. Deporre, Rupal Gupta, Kayla R. Heller, Lauren Jones, Leah Jones, Kathyrn Kyler, Ingrid Larson, Laura Plencner, Margaret Queen, Timothy Ryan Smith, Tyler Smith, Jacqueline M. Walker, Margaret Wright, Isabella Zaniletti, Jeffrey D. Colvin

Posters

Background: Inadequate health literacy, defined as inadequate ability to find, understand and use health information is associated with poor health outcomes and high health care costs. Children with medical complexity (CMC) have high rates of acute care utilization. Understanding parental health literacy in CMC and its relationship to acute care utilization may inform interventions designed to lower utilization.


Objective: To examine parental health literacy for CMC and determine its association with acute care utilization.


Design/Methods: In this single-site cross-sectional study, 250 parents of CMC completed a self-administered survey (response rate of 66.1%). CMC were included if they had a complex …

Medical Neglect: Trends In Reporting Practices And Patient Characteristics, Danielle Horton, Emily Killough, Mary Moffatt

Posters

Background: Medical neglect has significant consequences on child health and well-being. Improved processes for defining, recognizing, and reporting medical neglect are needed, however there is limited published data on the subject. Insight into patient characteristics and current reporting practices will help identify areas for intervention to improve outcomes for children at risk for medical neglect.


Objective: To describe characteristics of children identified for concern of medical neglect and trends in reporting of cases to child protective services (CPS).


Design/Methods: We performed a 1-year retrospective descriptive study of subjects < 18 years of age at a single, tertiary-care, academic pediatric institution for whom a Patient at Risk (PAR) assessment was completed exclusively for the concern of medical neglect. The PAR is a unique institutional process by which health professionals and social workers document concerns for child maltreatment. Medical records were reviewed for data regarding demographics, medical history, health care utilization and psychosocial risk factors. The role of the initiating provider and healthcare setting in which the PAR was recorded were also obtained.


Results: Of 270 children with a PAR completed for medical neglect concerns, …

Educating Providers: Timely Post-Operative Pain Management In A Level Iv Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Nicu), Jamesia Donato, Darian Younger, Rebecca Palmer, Denise Smith, Alexandra Oschman, Meredith Kopp, Daphne Reavey, Eugenia K. Pallotto

Posters

Background: NICU patients often encounter painful procedures and can have significant short and long-term consequences from inadequately treated pain. Ensuring adequate pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain management while minimizing associated risks is paramount. Our NICU is part of the Children’s Hospitals Neonatal Consortium “Erase Pain” collaborative to improve management of postop pain in neonates.


Objective: SMART

Aim: Increase the percentage of patients receiving acetaminophen within one hour after surgery to greater than 70% by July 2020.


Design/Methods: A multidisciplinary team developed pain treatment algorithms and postop order plans to standardize the approach to postop pain management. Providers were educated about their …

Outpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs In Children’S Hospitals: Status, Needs, Barriers, Rana El Feghaly, Elizabeth Monsees, Alaina N. Burns, Brian Lee, Ann L. Wirtz, Adam L. Hersh, Jason Newland

Posters

Background: Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are an essential tool to combat the increasing threat of antibiotic resistance. ASPs traditionally reside in acute care settings with a focus on inpatient prescribing. However, in 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention affirmed the importance of outpatient ASP through its 4 core elements. Incorporation of these elements requires time, personnel, and funding, which may not be available in many institutions.


Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the current state of outpatient ASP in a large network of children’s hospitals and inform a programming agenda.


Design/Methods: This cross-sectional study used an investigator-developed survey …

Peripartum Antibiotics Induce Dysbiosis And Predispose The Neonatal Gut Towards Inflammation, Alain Cuna, Marianne N. Nsumu, Venkatesh Sampath

Posters

Background: Broad-spectrum antibiotics in preterm infants have been associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), but the exact mechanisms that explain this association remain poorly defined.


Objective: To examine the impact of peripartum antibiotics on gut microbiota and intestinal inflammation in the developing gut.


Design/Methods: C57BL6 dams were administered broad spectrum antibiotics mixed with sterile drinking water from E15 to postnatal day (P)14 (Fig 1). Gut microbiota were analyzed by targeted 16S PCR for total bacterial density and relative abundance of major bacterial phyla. Effects of antibiotics on inflammatory TLR-signaling and injury in the neonatal gut were evaluated with PCR and histology. …

Response To Dexamethasone Predicts Diagnosis Of Severe (Type 2) Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Or Death, Christopher R. Nitkin, Keith Feldman, Alain Cuna, Alexandra Oschman, William E. Truog, Michael Norberg, Jane Taylor, Tamorah Lewis

Posters

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common respiratory morbidity after preterm birth but requires diagnosis at 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA). Dexamethasone is often used to treat infants at high-risk of BPD. The ability for earlier prediction of BPD, based on steroid response, could be useful as a surrogate marker for new therapies.


Objective: To construct a model that predicts severe BPD or death at 36 weeks PMA based on clinical response to dexamethasone.


Design/Methods: Retrospective chart review of preterm infants treated with dexamethasone between 2010-2020 at a Level IV NICU with data collected on demographics, age of steroid …

Characterization Of Comorbidities In Patients With A Dual Diagnosis Of Down Syndrome And Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Cerner Health Facts, Michael Slogic, Earl F. Glynn, Cy Nadler, Meredith Dreyer, Sarah T. Edwards

Presentations

Background: Up to 19% of patients with Down syndrome (DS) meet diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (Channell, et al, 2019). While the medical and psychological comorbidities for patients with DS or ASD are well characterized, outcomes for patients with a dual diagnosis (DS-ASD) are poorly understood. Large DS-ASD cohorts and comparison samples are needed to fill this gap, as well as methods for grouping and analyzing complex diagnostic phenotypes. Objective: Our objective is to utilize Cerner Health Facts, a multi-institutional healthcare database, to identify large populations with DS, ASD, and DS-ASD, allowing for characterization and comparison of their …

Direct Hyperbilirubinemia In Infants With Trisomy 13 And 18, Jeffrey Kepple, Eric Peeples

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background: Survival in trisomy 13 (T13) and 18 (T18) has increased in recent years, but little is known about the prevalence and management of the non-lethal complications in these populations.

Significance of Problem: A subjectively high rate of direct hyperbilirubinemia (DH) was noted at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center compared to the general population. Defining the prevalence, timing, and risk factors for DH will allow for the development of screening and management guidelines.

Hypothesis, Problem or Question: We hypothesized that infants with T13 and T18 would have high rates of DH, with no significant difference in prevalence between …

Profound Neonatal Anemia Due To A Fetal To Maternal Hemorrhage: A Case Study, Margaret Hogan Smoot, Terrance Zach

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

A female infant was born by cesarean section at 36 weeks of gestation after the mother presented with perceived decreased fetal movement, blood-tinged mucous vaginal discharge, and a non-reactive non-stress test. Upon delivery, the infant appeared extremely pale and in mild respiratory distress. A complete blood count upon admission showed profound neonatal anemia, and a Kleihaur-Betke test confirmed fetomaternal hemorrhage as the cause. Transfusions corrected the infant’s hematocrit levels, and she was discharged on day 8 following a normal brain MRI. Fetal to maternal hemorrhage is a known cause of neonatal anemia, however the presentation is nonspecific leading to underdiagnosis …

Mir-1253 Potentiates Cisplatin Response In Pediatric Medulloblastoma By Regulating Ferroptosis, Ranjana K. Kanchan, Naveenkumar Perumal, Pranita Atri, Ramakanth C. Venkata, Ishwor Thapa, Mohd W. Nasser, Surinder K. Batra, Sidharth Mahapatra

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Introduction Among CNS tumors, medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. Of the four subgroups, group 3 (G3MB) tumors fare the worst. Haploinsufficiency of 17p13.3 is a hallmark of these high-risk tumors; included within this locus is miR-1253, which has tumor suppressive properties in medulloblastoma. Therapeutic strategies capitalizing on the anti-neoplastic properties of miRNAs can provide promising adjuncts that can improve efficacy while mitigating toxicity of current chemotherapeutic drugs.

Objective In this study, we explored the potentiation of miR-1253 on cisplatin cytotoxicity in group 3 MB.

Methods We used RNA Sequencing to isolate a putative target for …

Fit For Life: Educating About A Healthy Lifestyle In Omaha Elementary Schools, Emilee Greager, Mary Conklin, Jordan Nustad, Tyler Bendrick, Haley Bremer, Tavishi Chopra, Jane Driano, Connor Eggleston, Lily Foley, Jeffrey Kepple, Ryan Leuty, Taylor Mattice, Alison Mause, Elizabeth Mause, Molly Olsen, Breanne Parets, Heerali Patel, Thomas Pennington, Miranda Prints, Eva Schaible, Christopher Toivonen, Grace Vitek, Claire Willman, Allen Zheng, Kody Moffatt

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background: The prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing across the country. Health education at a young age is critical for children to establish healthy habits. The Fit for Life program is put together by Creighton medical students to inspire elementary students to lead a healthy lifestyle. The curriculum integrates physical exercise, real organ demonstrations, emotional wellness exercises, and nutritious meal building to model and encourage healthy habits.

Methods: Over four weeks, medical students taught the 4^th and 5^th graders of two Omaha schools over live video while they followed along with hands-on activities. Before and after the program, …

Klinefelter’S Syndrome: A Fortuitously Diagnosed By Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing, Steven V. Yackley, Terence L. Zach

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Case Report: A male infant born at 37 weeks gestation. His mother was a 29-year-old, gravida 4 para 3 woman. During her pregnancy she was curious as to the gender of the fetus and requested a non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) rather than fetal ultrasound. The NIPT returned with a karyotype of XXY. The male infant was born vaginally with a birth weight of 2670 grams. Apgar scores were 8 and 9 at one and five minutes respectively. He was admitted to the newborn intensive care unit secondary to respiratory distress. He had no obvious dysmorphic features. He had normal appearing …

Severe Colitis And Malnutrition In Association With Neonatal Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis, Laura Tarantino

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Introduction: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare syndrome of overwhelming immune activation causing multiorgan dysfunction that may be genetic and/or acquired. Patients with familial HLH often present by one year of age, though most are asymptomatic in the first month of life. We present the case of a neonate with diarrhea and malnutrition who developed signs and symptoms consistent with a clinical diagnosis of HLH.

Case: A neonate born at 35 5/7 weeks was transferred to a Level IV neonatal intensive care unit at 39 4/7 weeks for failure to thrive. Though feeding adequately and non-dysmorphic, he had …

Expanding The Phenotype Of Hnrnpu-Related Disorders To Include Brief, Resolved, Unexplained Events (Brue), Jonah Scheffler, Kristen P. Fishler, Lois J. Starr

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

hnRNP-U deficiency is caused by pathogenic variants in HNRNPU, which encodes the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein U (HNRNPU), a highly conserved protein responsible for assisting spliceosomes in mediating transcription and alternative splicing activity. HnRNPs are responsible for the regulation of translation at the presynaptic sites as well as the transportation of stabilized mRNAs along the axonal cytoskeleton. Here, we report a 2-year-old-male with a HNRNPU variant with a new presentation of apparent recurrent apneic spells with an underlying epileptic origin. These were described as apnea followed by desaturation and tachycardia in the 180's-200 range prior to resolution of symptoms. He also …

Relationship Between Mir-335 And Sterol Levels After In Vitro Hypoxia-Ischemia Of Primary Brain Cells, Namood-E Sahar, Zeljka Korade, Eric Peeples

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background/Purpose: Cholesterol homeostasis is vital for synaptogenesis and myelination during fetal and neonatal brain development. Both brain and plasma sterol levels have been shown to be associated with outcomes in adult stroke, and animal studies have suggested brain and plasma sterol changes in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. MicroRNA-335 (miR-335) has been associated with brain sterol metabolism and our preliminary data showed that sterol metabolism is dysregulated in the brain after hypoxic-ischemic injury in a mouse model. This study sought to describe the effect of oxygen-glucose deprivation in vitro on individual brain cell populations and to validate the associations between sterol …

Postnatal Diagnosis Of Dandy Walker Malformation With Encephalocele, Heerali Patel

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Encephalocele is a defect of the neural tube. Dandy Walker malformation (DWM) is a defect involving agenesis or hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis, cystic dilation of the fourth ventricle, and enlargement of the posterior fossa. This is a case of a female preterm infant born at 36 weeks’ gestation who presented with DWM and an encapsulated occipital encephalocele at birth. The pregnancy was complicated by poorly controlled maternal diabetes. Prenatal ultrasound indicated a central nervous system anomaly. Amniocentesis did not show chromosomal abnormality. The infant also presented with polydactyly of the right thumb. MRI showed evidence of soft tissue within …