Assessing and addressing barriers towards MDI use in acute asthma exacerbations at a tertiary pediatric ED in the United Arab Emirates.

Asthma is one of the most common causes of emergency department (ED) visits in children. Therapy delivered through a meter dose inhaler with spacer (MDI + S) is equally as effective as nebulization in mild and moderate asthma exacerbations but was not routinely prescribed in the ED at the largest tertiary center for pediatrics in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Phase 1 of this cohort study involved a validated survey to evaluate physicians' knowledge, attitudes and perceptions towards MDI therapy. While 62% of physicians reported that MDI + S was equally effective as nebulizers and 82% believed that they had sufficient knowledge with regard to its use, only 28% prescribed it. Perceived barriers to change of practice included: Lack of clinical practice guidelines (CPG), poor knowledge amongst nurses and physicians, caregivers' reluctance and a difficult prescription process. Phase 2 consisted of administering the same survey after completing interventions to address the aforementioned barriers. Comparisons were made between the subgroups within phase 1 and statistically significant differences were noted with a p value < .05. The number of physicians who prescribed MDI + S increased from 28% to 41% (p value = .046). Moreover, physicians who believed that convincing parents to use MDI + S therapy would be easy, increased from 35% to 66% (p value < .0001). In conclusion, more physicians reported prescribing MDI + S in Phase 2 while concerns about barriers that exist to change in practice remained similar in both phases showing that consistent and prolonged advocacy is required to achieve long-term compliance.

Imaging in the COVID-19 era: Lessons learned during a pandemic.

The first year of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been a year of unprecedented changes, scientific breakthroughs, and controversies. The radiology community has not been spared from the challenges imposed on global healthcare systems. Radiology has played a crucial part in tackling this pandemic, either by demonstrating the manifestations of the virus and guiding patient management, or by safely handling the patients and mitigating transmission within the hospital. Major modifications involving all aspects of daily radiology practice have occurred as a result of the pandemic, including workflow alterations, volume reductions, and strict infection control strategies. Despite the ongoing challenges, considerable knowledge has been gained that will guide future innovations. The aim of this review is to provide the latest evidence on the role of imaging in the diagnosis of the multifaceted manifestations of COVID-19, and to discuss the implications of the pandemic on radiology departments globally, including infection control strategies and delays in cancer screening. Lastly, the promising contribution of artificial intelligence in the COVID-19 pandemic is explored.

Long term outcomes in chronic lung disease requiring tracheostomy and chronic mechanical ventilation.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common serious complication associated with preterm birth. Infants with severe BPD often require prolonged and intensive pulmonary care. Among those with the most severe lung disease, this care may include tracheostomy and long-term invasive mechanical ventilation. Although there is a plethora of data on long term respiratory and developmental outcomes of BPD survivors, relevant information on BPD survivors requiring chronic respiratory failure are limited. When compared to those born at term gestation, infants with BPD requiring chronic ventilation are at increased risk of hospitalizations and develop more frequent lower respiratory infections. In childhood and young adulthood, spirometry often shows an obstructive flow pattern. From a neurodevelopmental standpoint, the short-term outcomes appear optimistic, with improvement in growth and increased participation in development-promoting activities. Nonetheless, children born prematurely are vulnerable for long term cognitive, educational and behavioral impairments. BPD is an additional risk factor which exacerbates these deficits, thus contributing to lifelong neurodevelopmental impairments of prematurity.

Type I regressed pleuropulmonary blastoma in a 10-year-old boy.

Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a rare, malignant tumor of the lung and is the most common primary pulmonary malignancy in children. Here, we report a case of a boy who was diagnosed with type I regressed PPB after being mislabeled with congenital pulmonary malformation. A 10-year-old boy presented to our hospital with a history of worsening dyspnea. Since birth, his clinical status and radiographic images were concerning for congenital lobar emphysema that was managed conservatively. A chest computed tomography (CT) scan confirmed the persistence of a large cystic lesion and a diagnostic and therapeutic cystectomy was performed. Microscopic examination confirmed the presence of PPB type Ir. Patient was managed surgically alone with no added chemotherapy, as there was no overall survival benefit. PPB Ir has an overall favorable clinical outcome. Limited follow-up data are available due to the rarity of the lesion and the overlap with other congenital cystic lung malformations.

Vitamin D and the lung.

Vitamin D metabolism is complex and its deficiency has proven to be deleterious in bone health, and to have significant effects on the immune and cardiovascular systems. Vitamin D has also been associated with pulmonary diseases outcomes. This review will focus on vitamin D metabolism, and studies performed mostly in children with asthma or Cystic Fibrosis.

Neurocognitive and Behavioural Outcomes Following Intervention for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome in Children.

The obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is common in children and results in several complications when untreated. Considering that children are undergoing important brain development, recent research has focused on neurocognitive and behavioural (NCB) complications of OSAS. Studies have shown that treatment of paediatric OSAS may improve a child's long-term cognitive and social potential and school performance. There is demonstrated benefit in terms of behaviour, attention, and social interactions, as well as likely improvement in cognitive abilities with academic and social achievements.

Relationship between obstructive sleep apnea cardiac complications and sleepiness in children with Down syndrome.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Children with Down syndrome (DS) have a high rate of pulmonary hypertension and sleepiness. They also have a high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). We hypothesized that OSAS was associated with cardiovascular dysfunction and sleepiness in children with DS, and that this dysfunction was partly reversible. PATIENTS/METHODS: A total of 23 children with DS, aged 8-19 years, were evaluated with polysomnography, echocardiography, and measurement of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). Children having OSAS were randomized to four months of actual or sham continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in a double-blinded fashion. RESULTS: Of the total participants, 20 (87%) had OSAS. On echocardiography, no participant was found to have pulmonary hypertension, and all participants had a BNP <10 pg/mL. The early/tissue Doppler (E/e') of the lateral mitral annulus, a measure of worse left ventricular (LV) diastolic function, correlated with the arousal index (r = 0.42, p = 0.043) and apnea hypopnea index (AHI; r = 0.61, p = 0.002) and inversely with the SpO2 nadir (r = -0.61, p = 0.002). Participants with OSAS had a high pediatric Epworth score [median interquartile range (IQR) = 8(4,9)],correlating with the arousal index (r = 0.49, p = 0.016). At four months, there were no changes in cardiovascular outcomes or sleepiness between those on actual versus sham CPAP. Hours of actual CPAP use was associated with improved E/e' mitral lateral (r = -0.48, p = 0.044), but surprisingly also correlated with LV mass z-score (r = 0.54, p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: In children with DS, LV diastolic function correlated with OSAS severity, with improvement with CPAP use. There was a tendency towards increased sleepiness in those with OSAS, which correlated with the arousal index. Larger studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

The Role of Co-Morbidities.

Medical conditions can impact sleep and breathing in children. Gastroesophageal reflux disease, allergic rhinitis and asthma are common in children and often coexist with obstructive sleep apnea. Appropriate identification and management of these conditions can improve nocturnal and diurnal symptoms of sleep disordered breathing. We discuss the relationship between these medical conditions and obstructive sleep apnea in children.

Complications of adenotonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnea in school-aged children.

INTRODUCTION: Adenotonsillectomy is the treatment of choice for most children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, but can lead to complications. Current guidelines recommend that high-risk children be hospitalized after adenotonsillectomy, but it is unclear which otherwise-healthy children will develop post-operative complications. We hypothesized that polysomnographic parameters would predict post-operative complications in children who participated in the Childhood AdenoTonsillectomy (CHAT) study. METHODS: Children in the CHAT study aged 5-9 years with apnea hypopnea index 2-30/h or obstructive apnea index 1-20/h without comorbidities other than obesity/asthma underwent adenotonsillectomy. Associations between demographic variables and surgical complications were examined with Chi square and Fisher's exact tests. Polysomnographic parameters between subjects with/without complications were compared using Mann-Whitney tests. RESULTS: Of the 221 children (median apnea hypopnea index 4.7/h, range 1.2-27.7/h; 31% obese), 16 (7%) children experienced complications. 3 (1.4%) children had respiratory complications including pulmonary edema, hypoxemia and bronchospasm. Thirteen (5.9%) had non-respiratory complications, including dehydration (4.5%), hemorrhage (2.3%) and fever (0.5%). There were no statistically significant associations between demographic parameters (gender, race, and obesity) or polysomnographic parameters (apnea hypopnea index, % total sleep time with SpO2<92%, SpO2 nadir, % sleep time with end-tidal CO2>50Torr) and complications. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a low risk of post-adenotonsillectomy complications in school-aged healthy children with obstructive apnea although many children met published criteria for admission due to obesity, or polysomnographic severity. In this specific population, none of the polysomnographic or demographic parameters predicted post-operative complications. Further research could identify the patients at greatest risk of post-operative complications.

Relationship between sleep, sleep apnea, and neuropsychological function in children with Down syndrome.

PURPOSE: To determine whether sleep and sleep disordered breathing (SDB) contribute to the neuropsychological deficits of patients with Down syndrome, and whether treatment of SDB results in improvement in cognitive function. METHODS: In this cohort study, 25 children with Down syndrome underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG), Multiple Sleep Latency Testing (MSLT), and a battery of neuropsychological tests. Patients with SDB underwent a follow up PSG after treatment. All patients repeated the neuropsychological tests 13 months later. RESULTS: At baseline, there was no relationship between SDB and performance on the neuropsychological tests. However, total sleep time and sleep latency were related to tests of cognitive ability (p < 0.05) and comprehension (p < 0.01). The amount of time in slow-wave sleep correlated with tests of achievement (p < 0.01), and adaptive behavior (p < 0.01). Ten patients had SDB confirmed on PSG. Five of these patients were treated successfully with adenotonsillectomy and/or continuous positive airway pressure. The five who did not tolerate treatment were deficient in tests of adaptive behavior (Vineland p < 0.05) visual-motor integration (Beery p < 0.01) and achievement (Woodcock-Johnson p < 0.05) compared to those successfully treated. After treatment the patients improved in ratings of attention (Conners p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Although SDB is common in children with Down syndrome, it is not a major contributor to their cognitive deficits. Cognitive function is related to the amount of sleep and particularly slow wave sleep. Successful treatment of SDB may improve their attention.

Effects of positive airway pressure therapy on neurobehavioral outcomes in children with obstructive sleep apnea.

RATIONALE: Positive airway pressure therapy is frequently used to treat obstructive sleep apnea in children. However, it is not known whether positive airway pressure therapy results in improvements in the neurobehavioral abnormalities associated with childhood sleep apnea. OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that positive airway pressure therapy would be associated with improvements in attention, sleepiness, behavior, and quality of life, and that changes would be associated with therapy adherence. METHODS: Neurobehavioral assessments were performed at baseline and after 3 months of positive airway pressure therapy in a heterogeneous group of 52 children and adolescents. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Adherence varied widely (mean use, 170 ± 145 [SD] minutes per night). Positive airway pressure therapy was associated with significant improvements in attention deficits (P < 0.001); sleepiness on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (P < 0.001); behavior (P < 0.001); and caregiver- (P = 0.005) and child- (P < 0.001) reported quality of life. There was a significant correlation between the decrease in Epworth Sleepiness Scale at 3 months and adherence (r = 0.411; P = 0.006), but not between other behavioral outcomes and adherence. Behavioral factors also improved in the subset of children with developmental delays. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that, despite suboptimal adherence use, there was significant improvement in neurobehavioral function in children after 3 months of positive airway pressure therapy, even in developmentally delayed children. The implications for improved family, social, and school function are substantial. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 00458406).