Self-Reported Communication Attitudes of Children With Childhood Apraxia of Speech: An Exploratory Study.

PURPOSE: Much of the research literature on childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) has focused on understanding, diagnosing, and treating the impairment, rather than examining its functional effect on children's daily lives. This study focuses on the Personal Factors component of the World Health Organization International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Children and Youth Version Framework. Specifically, the purpose was to examine the self-reported communication attitudes of children with CAS. METHOD: Two validated communication attitude questionnaires were administered to 12 children with CAS enrolled in an intensive speech-focused intervention (age range: 4-10 years old). Children's scores were compared to the questionnaires' typically developing norms. Descriptive analyses explored relationships between communication attitude and CAS severity, caregiver perceptions of communicative participation, frustration ratings during therapy, and change in communication attitude over a brief time. RESULTS: Older (ages 6-10 years) but not younger (ages 4-5;11 [years;months]) children with CAS were more likely to have negative attitudes about their speech. No clear relationships were observed between communication attitudes and caregiver perceptions of communicative participation; small positive relationships were observed between communication attitude and frustration during therapy. For the younger children, there was also a relationship with CAS severity. For most children, no change in communication attitude was observed over a brief period, though one child appeared to develop more negative and one appeared to develop more positive attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: These initial findings suggest that older children with CAS may be at greater risk for negative communication attitudes than their peers without CAS. The findings also highlight the need to include more child self-report measures in research. Further implications for CAS assessment and intervention are discussed. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.21834432.

Obesity Worsens Local and Systemic Complications of Necrotizing Pancreatitis and Prolongs Disease Course.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is epidemic in the USA. Limited data exist examining obesity's influence on necrotizing pancreatitis (NP) disease course. METHODS: Retrospective review of prospectively maintained database of 571 adult necrotizing pancreatitis patients treated between 2007 and 2018. Patients were grouped according to body mass index (BMI) at disease onset. Patient characteristics, necrotizing pancreatitis course, and outcomes were compared between non-obese (BMI < 30) and obese (BMI > 30) patients. RESULTS: Among 536 patients with BMI data available, 304 (57%) were obese (BMI > 30), and 232 (43%) were non-obese (BMI < 30). NP etiology in the obese group was more commonly biliary (55% versus 46%, p = 0.04) or secondary to hypertriglyceridemia (10% versus 2%, p < 0.001) and less commonly alcohol (17% versus 26%, p = 0.01). Obese patients had a higher incidence of baseline comorbid disease. The CT severity index was similar between groups though obese patients had a higher rate of > 50% pancreatic gland necrosis (27% versus 19%, p = 0.02). The rates of infected necrosis and organ failure were higher among obese patients. Percutaneous drainage was more common in obese patients. Time to first necrosis intervention was earlier with increasing BMI. NP disease duration was longer in obese patients. The overall mortality rate of non-obese and obese patients did not differ. However, mortality rate increased with increasing BMI. CONCLUSION: Necrotizing pancreatitis in obese patients is characterized by a prolonged disease course, a higher risk of organ failure, infected necrosis, and the need for early necrosis-related intervention. Mortality increases with increasing BMI.

Early postoperative serum hyperamylasemia: Harbinger of morbidity hiding in plain sight?

BACKGROUND: The clinical significance of postoperative serum pancreatic enzyme elevation after pancreatoduodenectomy is understudied. We hypothesized that elevation in serum enzymes predicts morbidity and mortality after pancreatoduodenectomy. METHODS: Retrospective review of 677 patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy at a single institution from 2013 to 2019. Patients were categorized based on serum enzyme concentrations. Patient characteristics, drain amylase, and outcomes among groups were compared. RESULTS: In total, 415 of 677 patients had postoperative serum amylase concentrations measured. Of these, 243 (59%) were normal, 96 (23%) were classified as postoperative serum hyperamylasemia, and 76 (18%) were classified as postoperative acute pancreatitis. Major morbidity was lower among patients with normal enzyme concentration (10%) and higher in patients with postoperative serum hyperamylasemia (23%) and postoperative acute pancreatitis (18%) (P = .008). Patients with normal enzymes were less likely to develop postoperative pancreatic fistula (5%) compared with patients with postoperative serum hyperamylasemia (26%) and postoperative acute pancreatitis (21%) (P < .001) and less likely to develop delayed gastric emptying (9% vs 23% and 20%, respectively); P = .002. No difference in mortality was seen among groups. CONCLUSION: Elevated serum pancreatic enzyme concentration occurs frequently after pancreatoduodenectomy and is associated with increased postoperative morbidity. Serum enzyme concentration should be considered in management after pancreatoduodenectomy.