Birth data accessibility via primary care health records to classify health status in a multi-ethnic population of children: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Access to reliable birth data (birthweight (BW) and gestational age (GA)) is essential for the identification of individuals who are at subsequent health risk. AIMS: This study aimed to explore the feasibility of retrospectively collecting birth data for schoolchildren from parental questionnaires (PQ) and general practitioners (GPs) in primary care clinics, in inner city neighbourhoods with high density of ethnic minority and disadvantaged populations. METHODS: Attempts were made to obtain birth data from parents and GPs for 2,171 London primary schoolchildren (34% White, 29% Black African origin, 25% South Asians, 12% Other) as part of a larger study of respiratory health. RESULTS: Information on BW and/or GA were obtained from parents for 2,052 (95%) children. Almost all parents (2,045) gave consent to access their children's health records held by GPs. On the basis of parental information, GPs of 1,785 children were successfully contacted, and GPs of 1,202 children responded. Birth data were retrieved for only 482 children (22% of 2,052). Missing birth data from GPs were associated with non-white ethnicity, non-UK born, English not the dominant language at home or socioeconomic disadvantage. Paired data were available in 376 children for BW and in 407 children for GA. No significant difference in BW or GA was observed between PQ and GP data, with <5% difference between sources regardless of normal or low birth weight, or term or preterm status. CONCLUSIONS: Parental recall of birth data for primary schoolchildren yields high quality and rapid return of data, and it should be considered as a viable alternative in which there is limited access to birth records. It provides the potential to include children with an increased risk of health problems within epidemiological studies.

Ethnic variability in body size, proportions and composition in children aged 5 to 11 years: is ethnic-specific calibration of bioelectrical impedance required?

BACKGROUND: Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) has the potential to be used widely as a method of assessing body fatness and composition, both in clinical and community settings. BIA provides bioelectrical properties, such as whole-body impedance which ideally needs to be calibrated against a gold-standard method in order to provide accurate estimates of fat-free mass. UK studies in older children and adolescents have shown that, when used in multi-ethnic populations, calibration equations need to include ethnic-specific terms, but whether this holds true for younger children remains to be elucidated. The aims of this study were to examine ethnic differences in body size, proportions and composition in children aged 5 to 11 years, and to establish the extent to which such differences could influence BIA calibration. METHODS: In a multi-ethnic population of 2171 London primary school-children (47% boys; 34% White, 29% Black African/Caribbean, 25% South Asian, 12% Other) detailed anthropometric measurements were performed and ethnic differences in body size and proportion were assessed. Ethnic differences in fat-free mass, derived by deuterium dilution, were further evaluated in a subsample of the population (n = 698). Multiple linear regression models were used to calibrate BIA against deuterium dilution. RESULTS: In children < 11 years of age, Black African/Caribbean children were significantly taller, heavier and had larger body size than children of other ethnicities. They also had larger waist and limb girths and relatively longer legs. Despite these differences, ethnic-specific terms did not contribute significantly to the BIA calibration equation (Fat-free mass = 1.12+0.71*(height2/impedance)+0.18*weight). CONCLUSION: Although clear ethnic differences in body size, proportions and composition were evident in this population of young children aged 5 to 11 years, an ethnic-specific BIA calibration equation was not required.

Observational, medical or surgical management of vesicoureteric reflux.

UNLABELLED: The clinical management of vesicoureteric reflux includes observational, medical and surgical procedures. The choice of management is often a joint decision made between the paediatric nephrologist and urologist. The use of prophylactic antibiotics has become increasingly debated. In recent years, the surgical treatment of reflux (including endoscopic intervention or ureteral reimplantation) has mainly been limited to cases of high-grade reflux. There are several important risk factors that influence the final outcome which need to be identified and treated. The aim of reflux management is no longer to treat imperatively, but rather to avoid renal damage. It is perhaps time to revise the classic saying 'diagnosed reflux - treated reflux' with a new objective 'diagnosed reflux - evaluated reflux'. CONCLUSION: The management and follow-up of childhood reflux is a joint decision between the paediatric urologist and nephrologist and should be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Gender-related analysis of the clinical presentation, treatment response and outcome in patients with immune thrombocytopenia.

BACKGROUND: Immune thrombocytopenia (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura [ITP]) frequently occurs in young adults, particularly women in their third or fourth decade. The female predominance suggests that sex hormones may play a role in the different aspects of ITP. In this paper, we report a gender-related analysis of patients with ITP, specifically examining the clinical manifestations, responses to treatment and overall outcomes of the patients. METHODS: We included patients with "ITP" attending the departments of onco-hematology or internal medicine B (university hospital of Strasbourg, France) between 1990 and December 2010 The gender-related analysis was retrospective. RESULTS: We studied in 225 consecutive cases of established ITP with a follow-up period of 1.7 to 112 months The mean age of the patients was 44 years; 156 patients were female. The analysis revealed no significant statistical differences regarding patient characteristics between the female and male groups, with the exception of the following characteristics: the bleeding score, which altered in the presence of meno- and/or metrorrhagia and hematuria in female patients (P=0.03); the presence of anemia (P=0.04); and the detection of antinuclear and/or antiphospholipid antibodies (P=0.02). During the follow-up, no statistically significant difference was found regarding outcome or treatment response in relation to gender among these 225 patients (all P>0.05). DISCUSSION: Gender does not appear to affect the manifestation of immune thrombocytopenia, the outcome or response to treatment. However, further large-scale randomized trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Hemodiafiltration: the addition of convective flow to hemodialysis.

Hemodiafiltration (HDF) combines both hemofiltration (HF) and hemodialysis in the same procedure. It was initially performed in adults in 1977, and later used in children in the early 1980s. The use of HDF allows a determined convective dialysis dose to be combined with the conventional urea dialysis dose. The dialysis session is better tolerated as a result of the effects of hemofiltration. On-line HDF, i.e., substitution fluid prepared from ultrafiltration of the ultrapure dialysate, can be performed safely due to recent advances in modern technology. However, despite interest and feasibility in children, the majority of pediatric dialysis units across the world still perform hemodialysis using highly permeable membranes, allowing back filtration in the filter and therefore a degree of convective flow, i.e., internal hemodiafiltration. In some countries, government restrictions prohibit the use of on-line hemodiafiltration, (such as the FDA recommendations in North America), and therefore it should not be used in these circumstances.

Intensified daily dialysis: the best chronic dialysis option for children?

Children receiving chronic hemodialysis (HD) three times a week have many obstacles to overcome. Not only do they have to endure dietary restrictions, but they also need to take various medications on a daily basis, which contribute to anorexia. Children on such conventional dialysis programs often have poorly controlled blood pressure (which can lead to left ventricular hypertrophy and/or left ventricular dysfunction) and impaired statural growth. Therefore, the need for more frequent and/or intensive dialysis is recognized. Nevertheless despite limited center experience, daily dialysis is currently most often limited as a rescue treatment. When performed, daily intensified HD provides a modality for preserving cardiovascular health and promoting normal growth in children. Therefore, the time spent on chronic dialysis preserves their chances of the best possible outcome.

Dialysis strategies to improve growth in children with chronic kidney disease.

Despite major advances in the understanding and management of uremic growth failure, 35% to 50% of children with chronic kidney disease still grow up to become adults of small stature. The final adult height achieved is correlated with the height deficit recorded at the time of kidney transplantation. A degree of catch-up growth does occur after kidney transplantation in childhood, but it is often limited. Growth retardation in children with chronic kidney disease causes significant difficulties in their daily lives, often limiting psychosocial integration. Additionally, growth retardation is associated with a greater number of hospital admissions and an increased risk of mortality. Growth failure is the common endpoint of a variety of pathologies, including growth hormone resistance. In children on chronic dialysis, linear growth may be improved by ensuring that optimal clinical care is provided. This includes maximizing nutritional support (e.g., tube feeding in cases of anorexia) so as to prevent malnutrition. Further management options include the administration of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment and the use of more frequent and intensive dialysis sessions, such as daily on-line hemodiafiltration, which combines increased dialysis convective flow with ultrapure dialysate, to limit cachexia.

Efficacy of oral cobalamin (vitamin B12) therapy.

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD: Cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency is particularly common in the elderly (> 15%). Management of cobalamin deficiency with cobalamin injections is well codified at present, but new routes of cobalamin administration (oral and nasal) are being studied, especially oral cobalamin therapy for food-cobalamin malabsorption. AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW: The objective of this review is to evaluate the efficacy of oral cobalamin treatment in elderly patients. To reach this objective, PubMed data were systematically searched for English and French articles published from January 1990 to July 2008. Data from our research group on cobalamin deficiency (Groupe d'Etude des CAREnce vitamine B12 - CARE B12) were also analyzed. WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN: Three prospective randomized studies, a systematic review by the Cochrane group and five prospective cohort studies were found and provide evidence that oral cobalamin treatment may adequately treat cobalamin deficiency. The efficacy was particularly highlighted when looking at the marked improvement in serum vitamin B12 levels and hematological parameters, for example hemoglobin level, mean erythrocyte cell volume and reticulocyte count. The effect of oral cobalamin treatment in patients presenting with severe neurological manifestations has not yet been adequately documented. Oral cobalamin treatment avoids the discomfort, inconvenience and cost of monthly injections. TAKE HOME MESSAGE: Our experience and the present analysis support the use of oral cobalamin therapy in clinical practice.