Psychometric properties of the NIH Toolbox Cognition and Emotion Batteries among children and adolescents with congenital heart defects.

The NIH Toolbox offers brief, computerized measures of cognitive and psychosocial functioning. However, its psychometric properties were established among typically developing children and adolescents. The current study provides the first comprehensive assessment of its psychometric properties among young patients with congenital heart defects (CHD). We prospectively recruited 58 patients with CHD and 80 healthy controls between the ages of 6 and 17. Participants completed the NIH Toolbox Cognition and Emotion Batteries, a battery of clinician-administered neuropsychological tests, and ratings of their quality of life. Their parents also completed ratings of their functioning. On the Cognition Battery, we found expectable group differences and developmentally expected gains across ages. For the most part, composites and subtests were significantly correlated with neuropsychological measures of similar constructs. Higher scores were generally associated with ratings of better day-to-day functioning among children with CHD. On the Emotion Battery, we found no significant group differences, echoing prior research. For the most part, scales showed acceptable internal consistency among both groups. There was adequate construct coherence for most of questionnaires among healthy control but not participants with CHD. Correlations with a comparison tool were largely within expectable directions. The NIH Toolbox may provide a valid and useful assessment of cognitive functioning among youths with CHD. While it may offer reliable and valid scales of psychosocial functioning, further research is needed to understand the meaningfulness of the scales for participants with CHD.

Psychometric Properties of the NIH Toolbox Cognition and Emotion Batteries Among Children and Adolescents with Congenital Heart Defects.

Objective: The NIH Toolbox offers brief, computerized measures of cognitive and psychosocial functioning. However, its psychometric properties were established among typically developing children and adolescents. The current study provides the first comprehensive assessment of its psychometric properties among young patients with congenital heart defects (CHD). Study Design: We prospectively recruited 58 patients with CHD and 80 healthy controls between the ages of 6 and 17. Participants completed the NIH Toolbox Cognition and Emotion Batteries, a battery of clinician-administered neuropsychological tests, and ratings of their quality of life. Their parents also completed ratings of their functioning. Results: On the Cognition Battery, we found expectable group differences and developmentally expected gains across ages. For the most part, composites and subtests were significantly correlated with neuropsychological measures of similar constructs. Higher scores were generally associated with ratings of better day-to-day functioning among children with CHD. On the Emotion Battery, we found no significant group differences, echoing prior research. For the most part, scales showed acceptable internal consistency among both groups. There was adequate construct coherence for most of questionnaires among healthy control but not participants with CHD. Correlations with a comparison tool were largely within expectable directions. Conclusion: The NIH Toolbox may provide a valid and useful assessment of cognitive functioning among children and adolescents with CHD. While it may offer reliable and valid scales of psychosocial functioning, further research is needed to understand the meaningfulness of the scales for participants with CHD.

Association of Acute Respiratory Failure in Early Childhood With Long-term Neurocognitive Outcomes.

Importance: Approximately 23 700 US children undergo invasive mechanical ventilation for acute respiratory failure annually, with unknown long-term effects on neurocognitive function. Objective: To evaluate neurocognitive outcomes of children who survive pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) hospitalization for acute respiratory failure compared with their biological siblings. Design, Setting, and Participants: Prospective sibling-matched cohort study conducted at 31 US PICUs and associated neuropsychology testing centers. Patients were 8 years or younger with a Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category score of 1 (normal) before PICU admission and less than or equal to 3 (no worse than moderate neurocognitive dysfunction) at PICU discharge, excluding patients with a history of neurocognitive deficits or who were readmitted and underwent mechanical ventilation. Biological siblings were aged 4 to 16 years at testing, with Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category score of 1 and no history of mechanical ventilation or general anesthesia. A total of 121 sibling pairs were enrolled from September 2, 2014, to December 13, 2017, and underwent neurocognitive testing starting March 14, 2015. The date of the final follow-up was November 6, 2018. Exposures: Critical illness and PICU treatment for acute respiratory failure. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was IQ, estimated by the age-appropriate Vocabulary and Block Design subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale. Secondary outcomes included measures of attention, processing speed, learning and memory, visuospatial skills, motor skills, language, and executive function. Evaluations occurred 3 to 8 years after hospital discharge. Results: Patients (n = 121; 55 [45%] female patients) underwent PICU care at a median (IQR) age of 1.0 (0.2-3.2) years, received a median (IQR) of 5.5 (3.1-7.7) days of invasive mechanical ventilation, and were tested at a median (IQR) age of 6.6 (5.4-9.1) years. Matched siblings (n = 121; 72 [60%] female siblings) were tested at a median (IQR) age of 8.4 (7.0-10.2) years. Patients had a lower mean estimated IQ than matched siblings (101.5 vs 104.3; mean difference, -2.8 [95% CI, -5.4 to -0.2]). Among secondary outcomes, patients had significantly lower scores than matched siblings on nonverbal memory (mean difference, -0.9 [95% CI, -1.6 to -0.3]), visuospatial skills (mean difference, -0.9 [95% CI, -1.8 to -0.1]), and fine motor control (mean difference, -3.1 [95% CI, -4.9 to -1.4]) and significantly higher scores on processing speed (mean difference, 4.4 [95% CI, 0.2-8.5]). There were no significant differences in the remaining secondary outcomes, including attention, verbal memory, expressive language, and executive function. Conclusions and Relevance: Among children, survival of PICU hospitalization for respiratory failure and discharge without severe cognitive dysfunction was associated with significantly lower subsequent IQ scores compared with matched siblings. However, the magnitude of the difference was small and of uncertain clinical importance.

Cerebellar and Prefrontal Structures Associated With Executive Functioning in Pediatric Patients With Congenital Heart Defects.

Objective: Children, adolescents, and young adults with congenital heart defects (CHD) often display executive dysfunction. We consider the prefrontal and cerebellar brain structures as mechanisms for executive dysfunction among those with CHD. Methods: 55 participants with CHD (M age = 13.93) and 95 healthy controls (M age = 13.13) completed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, from which we extracted volumetric data on prefrontal and cerebellar regions. Participants also completed neuropsychological tests of executive functioning; their parents completed ratings of their executive functions. Results: Compared to healthy controls, those with CHD had smaller cerebellums and lateral, medial, and orbital prefrontal regions, they performed more poorly on tests of working memory, inhibitory control, and mental flexibility, and their parents rated them as having poorer executive functions across several indices. Across both groups, there were significant correlations for cerebellar and/or prefrontal volumes with cognitive assessments of working memory, mental flexibility, and inhibitory control and with parent-completed ratings of task initiation, working memory, and planning/organization. Greater prefrontal volumes were associated with better working memory, among those with larger cerebellums (with group differences based on the measure and the prefrontal region). Greater prefrontal volumes were related to better emotional regulation only among participants with CHD with smaller cerebellar volumes, and with poorer inhibition and emotional regulation only among healthy controls with larger cerebellar volumes. Conclusion: The cerebellum not only contributes to executive functioning among young individuals with CHD but may also modulate the relationships between prefrontal regions and executive functioning differently for pediatric patients with CHD vs. health controls.

Study design and rationale for a randomized controlled trial to assess effectiveness of stochastic vibrotactile mattress stimulation versus standard non-oscillating crib mattress for treating hospitalized opioid-exposed newborns.

The incidence of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) continues to rise and there remains a critical need to develop non-pharmacological interventions for managing opioid withdrawal in newborns. Objective physiologic markers of opioid withdrawal in the newborn remain elusive. Optimal treatment strategies for improving short-term clinical outcomes and promoting healthy neurobehavioral development have yet to be defined. This dual-site randomized controlled trial (NCT02801331) is designed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of stochastic vibrotactile stimulation (SVS) for reducing withdrawal symptoms, pharmacological treatment, and length of hospitalization, and for improving developmental outcomes in opioid-exposed neonates. Hospitalized newborns (n = 230) receiving standard clinical care for prenatal opioid exposure will be randomly assigned within 48-hours of birth to a crib with either: 1) Intervention (SVS) mattress: specially-constructed SVS crib mattress that delivers gentle vibrations (30-60 Hz, ~12 µm RMS surface displacement) at 3-hr intervals; or 2) Control mattress (treatment as usual; TAU): non-oscillating hospital-crib mattress. Infants will be studied throughout their hospitalization and post discharge to 14-months of age. The study will compare clinical measures (i.e., withdrawal scores, cumulative dose and duration of medications, velocity of weight gain) and characteristic progression of physiologic activity (i.e., limb movement, cardio-respiratory, temperature, blood-oxygenation) throughout hospitalization between opioid-exposed infants who receive SVS and those who receive TAU. Developmental outcomes (i.e., physical, social, emotional and cognitive) within the first year of life will be evaluated between the two study groups. Findings from this randomized controlled trial will determine whether SVS reduces in-hospital severity of NAS, improves physiologic function, and promotes healthy development.

A 2-Hour Diabetes Self-Management Education Program for Patients With Low Socioeconomic Status Improves Short-Term Glycemic Control.

Diabetes self-management education (DSME) improves glycemic control, but patients with low socioeconomic status face institutional and personal barriers to receiving DSME. A retrospective single cohort study of a 2-hour group DSME program prioritizing accessibility and completion of a tightly focused curriculum was performed to determine if glycemic control improved and whether a longer, more comprehensive, prospective evaluation of the program is indicated. All patients who participated in the program from September 2017 to December 2018 were included in the analysis. The primary study endpoint was change in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) from baseline. A total of 58 out of 94 patients (61.7%) had paired measurements of HbA1c. Mean HbA1c improved from 9.8% ± 2.2% (83.5 ± 24.2 mmol/mol) to 8.3% ± 2.0% (67.7 ± 22.0 mmol/mol) at a median of 4 months after participation in the program (P<0.001). The proportion of patients with any improvement in HbA1c was 75.9% (44 of 58; P=0.003), and 65.5% of patients (38 of 58; P=0.066) had an improvement in HbA1c of ≥0.5%. These results demonstrate the benefit of highly targeted DSME for low-income patients and justify a longer-term and prospective evaluation of the program.

Early Protocolized Versus Usual Care Rehabilitation for Pediatric Neurocritical Care Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: s: Few feasibility, safety, and efficacy data exist regarding ICU-based rehabilitative services for children. We hypothesized that early protocolized assessment and therapy would be feasible and safe versus usual care in pediatric neurocritical care patients. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Three tertiary care PICUs in the United States. PATIENTS: Fifty-eight children between the ages of 3-17 years with new traumatic or nontraumatic brain insult and expected ICU admission greater than 48 hours. INTERVENTIONS: Early protocolized (consultation of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy within 72 hr ICU admission, n = 26) or usual care (consultation per treating team, n = 32). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Primary outcomes were consultation timing, treatment type, and frequency of deferrals and safety events. Secondary outcomes included patient and family functional and quality of life outcomes at 6 months. Comparing early protocolized (n = 26) and usual care groups (n = 32), physical therapy was consulted during the hospital admission in 26 of 26 versus 28 of 32 subjects (p = 0.062) on day 2.4 ± 0.8 versus 7.7 ± 4.8 (p = 0.001); occupational therapy in 26 of 26 versus 23 of 32 (p = 0.003), on day 2.3 ± 0.6 versus 6.9 ± 4.8 (p = 0.001); and speech and language therapy in 26 of 26 versus 17 of 32 (p = 0.011) on day 2.3 ± 0.7 versus 13.0 ± 10.8 (p = 0.026). More children in the early protocolized group had consults and treatments occur in the ICU versus ward for all three services (all p < 0.001). Eleven sessions were discontinued early: nine during physical therapy and two during occupational therapy, none impacting patient outcome. There were no group differences in functional or quality of life outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: A protocol for early personalized rehabilitation by physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy in pediatric neurocritical care patients could be safely implemented and led to more ICU-based treatment sessions, accelerating the temporal profile and changing composition of interventions versus usual care, but not altering the total dose of rehabilitation.

Design and rationale of the "Sedation strategy and cognitive outcome after critical illness in early childhood" study.

There is increasing concern that sedatives commonly used during critical illness may be neurotoxic during the period of early brain development. The Sedation strategy and cognitive outcome after critical illness in early childhood (RESTORE-cognition) study is a prospective cohort study designed to examine the relationships between sedative exposure during pediatric critical illness and long-term neurocognitive outcomes. We assess multiple domains of neurocognitive function 2.5-5 years post-hospital discharge, at a single time point and depending on participant and clinician availability, in up to 500 subjects who had normal baseline cognitive function, were aged 2 weeks to 8 years at pediatric intensive care unit admission, and were enrolled in a cluster randomized controlled trial of a sedation protocol (the RESTORE trial; U01 HL086622 and HL086649). In addition, to provide comparable data on an unexposed group with similar baseline biological characteristics and environment, we are studying matched, healthy siblings of RESTORE patients. Our goal is to increase understanding of the relationships between sedative exposure, critical illness, and long-term neurocognitive outcomes in infants and young children by studying these subjects 2.5 to 5 years after their index hospitalization. This paper highlights the design challenges in conducting comprehensive neurocognitive assessment procedures across a broad age span at multiple testing centers across the United States. Our approach, which includes building interprofessional teams and novel cohort retention strategies, may be of help in future longitudinal trials.

Chloroquine increases phosphorylation of AMPK and Akt in myotubes.

AIMS: There are reports that ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) can activate the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and also Akt, two kinases that play integral parts in cardioprotection and metabolic function. We hypothesized that chloroquine and resveratrol, both known ATM activators, would also activate AMPK and Akt. MAIN METHODS: Phosphorylation of AMPK and Akt was assessed after C2C12 myotubes were exposed to chloroquine or resveratrol. Additional experiments were done in cells expressing shRNA against ATM or in the presence of the ATM inhibitor KU55933. The effects of chloroquine on intracellular calcium were assessed with the fluorescent probe Calcium Green-1 AM. KEY FINDINGS: 0.5 mM chloroquine increased AMPK phosphorylation by nearly 4-fold (P<0.05), and 0.25 mM chloroquine roughly doubled Akt phosphorylation (P<0.05). Chloroquine also increased autophosphorylation of ATM by ~50% (P<0.05). Resveratrol (0.15 mM) increased AMPK phosphorylation about three-fold (P<0.05) but in contrast to chloroquine sharply decreased Akt phosphorylation. Chloroquine increased AMPK and Akt phosphorylation in myotubes expressing shRNA against ATM that reduced ATM protein levels by about 90%. Likewise, chloroquine-stimulated phosphorylation of AMPK and Akt and resveratrol-stimulated phosphorylation of AMPK were not altered by inhibition of ATM. Chloroquine decreased intracellular calcium by >50% concomitant with a decrease in glucose transport. SIGNIFICANCE: These ATM-independent effects of chloroquine on AMPK and Akt and the additional effect to decrease intracellular calcium are likely to partially underlie the positive metabolic effects of chloroquine that have been reported in the literature.

Changing the mindset: an inter-disciplinary approach to management of the bariatric patient.

Obesity is a major health issue throughout the world. Modern nomenclature has replaced the word obesity with bariatric-related terminology. A bariatric person is defined as one who has health limitations due to their physical size, lack of mobility and environmental access. Obese people are often characterised by society as being lazy and unattractive, and this perception is prevalent among healthcare professionals also. This paper describes an innovative approach to obesity management in a large Australian health district in Queensland.

Long-term use of daptomycin for MRSA osteomyelitis and joint infection.

This case describes almost continual daptomycin use for approximately 18 months in a patient with osteomyelitis caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The case is notable for only a brief episode of myalgia-associated creatine kinase elevations, which quickly resolved. Daptomycin demonstrated efficacy against this strain, which was tolerant to other antibiotics.

Daptomycin-rifampin for a recurrent MRSA joint infection unresponsive to vancomycin-based therapy.

A 54-y-old morbidly obese male presented with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia secondary to chronic right hip arthroplasty infection. Bacteremia persisted despite prolonged vancomycin-based therapy (MIC < or = 1 microg/ml) and prosthetic removal. Adding daptomycin-rifampin resolved bacteremia within 48 h; hip cultures remained negative post-discharge. This case describes alternative treatment for chronic MRSA infections.