Antenatal methadone vs buprenorphine exposure and length of hospital stay in infants admitted to the intensive care unit with neonatal abstinence syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Antenatal exposure to methadone or buprenorphine often causes neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in newborns. However, comparative effects on affected infants' hospital courses are inconclusive. We sought to estimate the relationship of antenatal exposure with methadone or buprenorphine and infants' length of stay among hospitalized infants with NAS. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized infants with NAS with either maternal exposure. Eligible infants were singleton infants born ⩾36 weeks' gestation and diagnosed with NAS<7 days of age between 2011 and 2014 in the Pediatrix Clinical Data Warehouse. Infant with congenital anomalies and those of multiple gestation were excluded. RESULTS: Of 3364 eligible infants, 2202 (65%) were exposed to methadone and 1162 (34%) to buprenorphine. Infants exposed to buprenorphine had a lower rate of pharmacologic treatment for NAS (88 vs 91%, P<0.001). Median length of hospital stay was shorter among infants exposed to buprenorphine (21 days (inter-quartile range; 13-31) vs methadone (24 days (15-38), P<0.0001)). On multivariable Cox proportional hazard analyses, buprenorphine was associated with a shorter length of stay (hazard ratio (HR)=1.47 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.32-1.62, P<0.001) after controlling for maternal age, parity, race or ethnicity, prenatal care, smoking status, use of antidepressants, use of benzodiazepines, and infant gestational age, small for gestational age status, cesarean delivery, sex, out born status, type of pharmacotherapy, breast milk use, year and center. We observed similar results in model using infants matched 1:1 with propensity scores for antenatal medication exposure (HR 1.39 for buprenorphine, CI 1.32-1.62, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Among infants born ⩾36 weeks' gestation with NAS, antenatal buprenorphine exposure was associated with a decreased length of stay relative to antenatal methadone exposure.

In-hospital outcomes of premature infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize in-hospital outcomes of premature infants diagnosed with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study including premature infants with severe BPD discharged from 348 Pediatrix Medical Group neonatal intensive care units from 1997 to 2015. RESULTS: There were 10 752 infants with severe BPD, and 549/10 752 (5%) died before discharge. Infants who died were more likely to be male, small for gestational age, have received more medical interventions and more frequently diagnosed with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis, culture-proven sepsis and pulmonary hypertension following 36 weeks of postmenstrual age compared with survivors. Approximately 70% of infants with severe BPD were discharged by 44 weeks of postmenstrual age, and 86% were discharged by 48 weeks of postmenstrual age. CONCLUSIONS: A majority of infants diagnosed with severe BPD were discharged home by 44 weeks of postmenstrual age. These results may inform discussions with families regarding the expected hospital course of infants diagnosed with severe BPD.

Association of in utero magnesium exposure and spontaneous intestinal perforations in extremely low birth weight infants.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to determine whether antenatal exposure to magnesium is associated with spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants (⩽1000 g). STUDY DESIGN: We identified all ELBW infants admitted to 1 of 323 neonatal intensive care units from 2007 to 2013. We used multivariable conditional logistic regression to compare outcomes in the first 21 days after birth between infants exposed and unexposed to magnesium in utero. RESULTS: Of the 28 035 infants, 11 789 (42%) were exposed to antenatal magnesium (AM). There was no difference in the risk of SIP, odds ratio=1.08 (95% confidence interval; 0.91 to 1.29), between infants exposed and unexposed to AM. Mortality in the first 21 days after birth was lower in the magnesium-exposed infants, odds ratio=0.76 (0.70 to 0.83). CONCLUSION: AM exposure in ELBW infants was not associated with increased risk of SIP.

Changing antiepileptic drug use for seizures in US neonatal intensive care units from 2005 to 2014.

OBJECTIVE: Neonatal seizures are a common problem in the neonatal intensive care unit and are frequently treated with antiepileptic drugs. Limited data exist on current or changing antiepileptic drug use for seizures in the neonatal intensive care unit.We sought to describe trends of antiepileptic drug exposure in a large volume of US neonatal intensive care unit from 2005 to 2014 and we hypothesized increasing levetiracetam exposure over the 10-year study period. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of infants from the Pediatrix Medical Group Clinical Data Warehouse, a large, multicenter, deidentified data set. Data were analyzed for trends in 2-year time periods. Our cohort included infants with a diagnosis of seizures who received an antiepileptic drug that were discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2014. RESULTS: Among 778 395 infants from 341 facilities, we identified 9134 infants with a seizure diagnosis who received an antiepileptic drug. Phenobarbital was used in 98% of the cohort. From 2005-2006 to 2013-2014 phenobarbital exposure declined from 99 to 96% (P<0.001), phenytoin exposure decreased from 15 to 11% (P<0.001) and levetiracetam exposure increased 10-fold from 1.4 to 14% (P<0.001). Overall, <1% of infants were exposed to carbamazepine, lidocaine or topiramate. CONCLUSIONS: Infants with seizures were overwhelmingly exposed to phenobarbital, despite a significant increase in levetiracetam exposure. The use of phenytoin declined and has been surpassed by levetiracetam as the second most widely used antiepileptic in the neonatal intensive care unit. These changes in antiepileptic drug usage patterns have occurred in the absence of novel efficacy data in neonates.

Systematic review: the extra-oesophageal symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in children.

BACKGROUND: Extra-oesophageal symptoms are thought to be common, atypical symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in children. AIM: To investigate the prevalence of GERD in children with extra-oesophageal symptoms or of extra-oesophageal symptoms in children with GERD, and the effect of GERD therapies on extra-oesophageal symptoms. METHODS: A systematic review of articles in PubMed and EMBASE. RESULTS: We identified 18 relevant articles. The pooled weighted average prevalence of GERD in asthmatic children was 23%, compared with 4% in healthy controls from the same five studies. The majority of studies evaluating the relationship between apparent life-threatening event (ALTE) and GERD did not suggest a causal relationship. Seven studies reported that respiratory symptoms, sinusitis and dental erosion were significantly more prevalent in children with GERD than in controls. Data from pharmacotherapeutic trials were inconclusive and provided no support for a causal relationship between GERD and extra-oesophageal symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Possible associations exist between GERD and asthma, pneumonia, bronchiectasis, ALTE, laryngotracheitis, sinusitis and dental erosion, but causality or temporal association were not established. Moreover, the paucity of studies, small sample sizes and varying disease definitions did not allow firm conclusions to be drawn. Most trials of GERD therapies showed no improvement in extra-oesophageal symptoms in children.

Long-term proton pump inhibitor use in children: a retrospective review of safety.

The objective of this work was to assess the efficacy of continuous proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy in children and to evaluate changes in biochemical, endoscopic, and histologic parameters during such treatment. A retrospective review of children receiving PPI therapy continuously for 1 year or more with baseline and follow-up esophageal and gastric biopsies on treatment was conducted to assess type, frequency, and duration of PPI dosing, symptom relief, gastrin levels, histologic findings, and adverse events. A total of 113 children (59 male, median age 4.5 years) were identified. Of these, 31% (35/113) were neurologically impaired. The median treatment duration was 35.2 months. Elevated serum gastrin levels occurred in 73% of children with no statistically significant differences in gastrin level by PPI type, dose, and dosing frequency or treatment duration. Adverse events were reported by 12% of children: diarrhea (5%) and constipation (4%) were the most frequent. Long-term PPI therapy appears to be effective, safe and well tolerated in children despite some biochemical, endoscopic, and histologic changes.

The use of an oral fluid immunoglobulin G ELISA for the detection of Helicobacter pylori infection in children.

BACKGROUND: Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) evaluation of oral fluid immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to Helicobacter pylori is a unique approach for both epidemiological studies and the diagnosis of infection, especially in children. The use of oral fluid sampling to evaluate specific H. pylori IgG antibodies has advantages over serum, including reduced biohazard risk and noninvasive collection. Oral fluid sampling is fast and involves minimal patient discomfort. Since children facilitate transmission of H. pylori infection, a simple, accurate, noninvasive diagnostic test is necessary for large epidemiologic studies. The aim of our study was to evaluate a new oral fluid ELISA for detection of IgG antibodies to H. pylori in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared this new oral fluid ELISA with the HM-CAPTM serum ELISA and gastric biopsy histology using 779 oral fluid samples from children collected at 11 clinical sites across the United States. This cohort included 315 children symptomatic for abdominal pain and 464 asymptomatic. All samples were evaluated in a double blind manner. The oral fluid ELISA demonstrated a sensitivity of 76.2% and a specificity of 94.0% in children 2 months old to 201/2 years, as compared with the HM-CAPTM serologic assay. The assay's sensitivity improved to 81.3% in children aged 5 or greater and the specificity remained at 94.0%. When compared with gastric biopsy histology in the same age group, the oral fluid ELISA demonstrated a sensitivity of 71.7% and a specificity of 90.4%. RESULTS: This new oral fluid ELISA is moderately sensitive and offers a very specific method for detecting H. pylori infection in older children, but it is of little value in children under the age of 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we conclude that this oral fluid ELISA does not appear to be a helpful clinical tool for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection in children.

Laparoscopic and thoracoscopic esophagomyotomy for children with achalasia.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive esophagomyotomy, consisting of a laparoscopic or thoracoscopic approach, has become a preferred surgical treatment for adults with achalasia. This multicenter study reports on the clinical status of children who have undergone minimally invasive esophagomyotomy for achalasia. METHODS: Symptomatology for achalasia was assessed in 22 pediatric patients who underwent minimally invasive esophagomyotomy for achalasia between 1995 and 2000. All patients were evaluated for duration of hospitalization, postoperative resumption of feeds, postoperative complications, and symptomatic relief. Participants were assigned pre-and postoperative symptom severity scores ranging from 0 (no symptoms) to 3 (severe). RESULTS: The median age of the 10 females and 12 males at time of surgery was 11.3 years +/- 3.4 (standard deviation). Transabdominal laparoscopic esophagomyotomy with fundoplication was performed in 18 patients, and thoracoscopic esophagomyotomy without fundoplication was performed in 4. Two patients required conversion from transabdominal laparoscopic esophagomyotomy to open esophagomyotomy because of intraoperative esophageal perforation. The mean duration of postsurgical follow-up was 17 +/- 16 (standard deviation) months (range, 1-54 months). Mean duration of hospitalization (days +/- standard error or mean) was less for transabdominal laparoscopic esophagomyotomy than for converted open esophagomyotomy (2.7 +/- 0.3 vs. 9.0 +/- 3.0 days; P < 0.05) or for thoracoscopic esophagomyotomy (4.8 +/- 1.7 days; P = not significant). Mean time to resumption of soft feedings (days +/- standard error or mean) occurred sooner after transabdominal laparoscopic esophagomyotomy than after converted open esophagomyotomy (2.0 +/- 0.2 vs. 5.5 +/- 0.5 days; P < 0.001) or after thoracoscopic esophagomyotomy (4.0 +/- 1.3 days; P = not significant). Patients experienced significant pre-to postoperative improvement in mean severity score with regard to dysphagia (2.6 vs. 0.4; P < 0.001) and regurgitation (1.7 vs. 0.2; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive esophagomyotomy can provide excellent symptomatic relief from dysphagia and regurgitation for children with achalasia.

Induction of gastric ornithine decarboxylase in early weaning rats.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Early weaning has been shown to induce intestinal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activities and cell proliferation in rats. No information is available about the effect of early weaning on ODC activity in the stomach. METHODS: Suckling rats were prematurely weaned on postnatal day 15 and followed through day 21. Oxyntic gland mucosa of stomach was obtained on postnatal days 15, 16, 18 and 21 (days 0, 1, 3 and 6 after early weaning) and assayed for ODC activity, DNA, protein and pepsinogen activity. alpha-Difluoromethyl ornithine (DFMO), a specific ODC inhibitor, was given orally to early-weaned pups and its resultant effects were assessed on days 1 and 6 after early weaning. RESULTS: Stomach mucosal wet weight, DNA, protein and pepsinogen activities significantly increased on day 6 after early weaning. ODC activity increased on days 1, 3, and 6 after early weaning, with the highest increase (3-fold) on day 1 when compared to controls. The increases of ODC activity, DNA and protein contents as induced by early weaning were significantly suppressed when pups were exposed to DFMO. However, no suppression of pepsinogen activity was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that early weaning induces ODC activity and functional growth in the stomach. Gastric ODC activity is essential in gastric mucosal growth processes but not in differentiation. The induction of stomach ODC may act as an early marker in the growth of stomach mucosa induced by early weaning in rats.

Does cisapride influence cardiac rhythm? Results of a United States multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled pediatric study.

BACKGROUND: Major concerns about serious cardiac side effects underlie the recent decision by the FDA and Janssen Pharmaceutica (Titusville, NJ) to make cisapride available only through a limited access program. Concerns have grown despite the fact that most instances of prolonged QTc and other ventricular arrhythmias occurred while the drug was used concomitantly with contraindicated drugs. This study sought to analyze electrocardiograms (ECGs) from a multicenter pediatric study and to identify abnormalities in QTc interval associated with cisapride use. METHODS: Children between 6 months and 4 years of age were enrolled if they manifested symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux not responding to medical therapy for at least 6 weeks. In 49 subjects, ECGs obtained before and after randomization to receive 0.2 mg/kg dose three times daily or placebo were reviewed independently and blindly by two pediatric cardiologists. Placebo and active drug groups were compared for QTc and for change in QTc from baseline values after 3 to 8 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Mean QTc among patients taking the drug was 408+/-18 ms. None was higher than 450 ms. Change between baseline and subsequent QTc at 3 to 8 weeks of treatment was 2+/-20 ms. CONCLUSIONS: In our study group of children without underlying cardiac disease or electrolyte imbalance, cisapride was found to have no significant effect on cardiac electrical function compared with placebo. These results are consistent with the drug's record of exceedingly infrequent cardiac events. Because the availability of this prokinetic is threatened, its safety and the safety and efficacy of alternative treatment options (including surgery) should be studied further.

Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection from antral biopsies in pediatric patients is urease test that reliable?

Our objectives were to determine if the urease (CLO) test alone is a reliable diagnostic test for H. pylori gastritis in children and if the density of H. pylori influences the CLO test result. We performed a combined retrospective and prospective study reviewing the results of CLO-test and histology of gastric mucosal biopsy from 67 patients (35 females) with H. pylori gastritis. Two antral biopsies were inoculated on the CLO-test and two processed for histology to grade the severity of gastritis and H. pylori density. The mean age of patients was 11 years (SD +/- 4.53). Only 50 patients tested positive for H. pylori on CLO-test, whereas all patients were positive on histology. The sensitivity of the CLO-test was 75%. There was a significant association between CLO-test positivity and the density of H. pylori organisms on histology (P < 0.01), and with the severity of gastritis (P < 0.001) by the Pearson chi-square test. However, there was no association between the density of H. pylori and severity of gastritis. In conclusion, the CLO-test is not reliable as a sole diagnostic test for H. pylori gastritis in children because of a significant number of false negatives. Histologic examination of gastric mucosal biopsy is superior to the CLO-test in diagnosing H. pylori infection.

Evaluation of the use of botulinum toxin in children with achalasia.

BACKGROUND: Achalasia is rare in children. Recently, injection of botulinum toxin into the lower esophageal sphincter has been studied as an alternative to esophageal pneumatic dilatation or surgical myotomy as treatment for achalasia. In the current study, the effects of botulinum toxin were investigated in the largest known series of children with achalasia. METHODS: Treatment for achalasia was assessed in 23 pediatric patients who received botulinum toxin from June 1995 through November 1998. Those who continued to receive botulinum toxin and did not subsequently undergo pneumatic dilatation or surgery were considered repeat responders. Results were compared with those of published studies evaluating the use of botulinum toxin in adults with achalasia. RESULTS: Nineteen patients initially responded to botulinum toxin. Mean duration of effect was 4.2 months +/- 4.0 (SD). At the end of the study period, three were repeat responders, three experienced dysphagia but did not receive pneumatic dilatation or surgery, three underwent pneumatic dilatation, eight underwent surgery, three underwent pneumatic dilatation with subsequent surgery, and three awaited surgery. Meta-analysis shows that, in the current study group, the data point expressing time of follow-up evaluation versus percentage of patients needing one injection session without additional procedures (botulinum toxin injection, pneumatic dilatation, or surgery) falls within the curve for those in studies on adult patients receiving botulinum toxin for achalasia. CONCLUSIONS: Botulinum toxin effectively initiates the resolution of symptoms associated with achalasia in children. However, one half of patients are expected to need an additional procedure approximately 7 months after one injection session. The authors recommend that botulinum toxin be used only for children with achalasia who are poor candidates for either pneumatic dilatation or surgery.

A prospective trial of lansoprazole triple therapy for pediatric Helicobacter pylori infection.

BACKGROUND: Triple therapy with a proton-pump inhibitor and two antibiotics is widely used in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in adults. Experience with such therapy in the pediatric population is limited. This was a prospective, nonrandomized, open-label trial to evaluate safety and efficacy of a combination of lansoprazole, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin in symptomatic children with H. pylori infection. METHODS: Children with H. pylori gastritis diagnosed by endoscopy performed for persistent nausea, vomiting, recurrent abdominal pain, and diarrhea with consistent histology were treated with the regimen of 0.45 mg/kg per day lansoprazole divided into two doses (maximum dose, 15 mg twice daily), amoxicillin 40 mg/kg per day in two doses (maximum dose, 1.0 g twice daily), and 250 mg clarithromycin twice daily (<10 years old) or 500 mg twice daily (>10 years old) for 2 weeks. Pre- and posttreatment endoscopic biopsy specimens were graded for the severity of gastritis and H. pylori density by a blinded pathologist. A questionnaire for assessing the severity of symptoms at the time of initial and second endoscopy were completed by patient and/or parent. RESULTS: Thirty-two children (age range, 1-25 years; mean age, 11 years; 19 females, 13 males) were treated with this regimen during an 18-month period. H. pylori organisms with varying grades of gastritis were present in tissue specimens of all patients. Only 28 children had follow-up endoscopy, which showed eradication of H. pylori in 15 (54%) children. Histologic symptoms of gastritis improved after therapy in the whole group. Overall, symptoms of vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, anorexia, and halitosis significantly improved (P < 0.05). Minor adverse effects of therapy occurred in 25% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms, histologic, and endoscopic findings improved after triple therapy in children with H. pylori gastritis; however, eradication of bacteria was achieved in only 56% of children.

Caroli's disease diagnosed in a child by MRCP.

We describe a case of Caroli's disease associated with a choledochal cyst and autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease in a child whose diagnosis was confirmed with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), after initial abnormalities were seen by ultrasonography. Invasive procedures such as liver biopsy or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) were, therefore, not necessary. Recent radiological advances in the diagnosis of Caroli's disease with particular emphasis on MRCP are discussed.