Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Articles

The impact of comparative genomic hybridization/single-nucleotide polymorphism microarray in risk stratification of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The objective of this study is to assess the concordance and added value of combined comparative genomic hybridization plus single-nucleotide polymorphism microarray (CGH/SNP) analyses in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) risk stratification compared to conventional cytogenetic methods. This is a retrospective study that included patients aged 1-18years diagnosed with de novo ALL at Sainte-Justine Hospital between 2016 and 2021. Results from conventional cytogenetic and molecular analyses were collected and compared to those of CGH/SNP. A total of 135 ALL patients were included. Sample failures or non-diagnostic analyses occurred in 17.8% cases with G-banding karyotypes versus 1.5% cases with CGH/SNP. The mean turnaround time for results was significantly faster for CGH/SNP than karyotype with 5.8 versus 10.7days, respectively. The comparison of ploidy assessment by CGH/SNP and G-banding karyotype showed strong concordance (r=.82, p<.001, r2=.68). Furthermore, G-banding karyotype did not detect additional clinically relevant aberrations that were missed by the combined analysis of CGH/SNP and fluorescence in situ hybridization. The most common gene alterations detected by CGH/SNP were deletions involving CDKN2A (35.8%), ETV6 (31.3%), CDKN2B (28.4%), PAX5 (20.1%), IKZF1 (12.7%), and copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity (CN-LOH) of 9p (9.0%). Among these, only ETV6 deletion was found to have a significant prognostic impact with superior event-free survival in both univariate and multivariate analyses (adjusted hazard ratio 0.08, 95% confidence interval: 0.01-0.50, p=.02). CGH/SNP provided faster, reliable, and highly concordant results than those obtained by conventional cytogenetics. CGH/SNP identified recurrent gene deletions in pediatric ALL, of which ETV6 deletion conferred a favorable prognosis.

Looking for ALPS: The value of a combined assessment of biochemical markers.

Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) is a rare primary immune disorder caused by defect of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. The current diagnostic criteria combine clinical features and typical biomarkers but have not been the object of clear international consensus. We conducted a retrospective study on pediatric patients who were investigated for autoimmune cytopenia and/or lymphoproliferation at the CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital over 10 years. Patients were screened using the combination of TCRαβ+ CD4- CD8- "double negative" (DN) T cells and soluble plasmatic FAS ligand (sFASL). Among the 398 tested patients, the median sFASL and DN T cells were 200 ng/mL and 1.8% of TCRαβ+ T cells, respectively. sFASL was highly correlated with vitamin B12 levels. We identified five patients diagnosed with ALPS for whose sFASL and vitamin B12 levels were the more discriminating biomarkers. While ALPS diagnostic criteria had high sensibility, their predictive value remained low. sFASL level can efficiently discriminate patients with ALPS when using the appropriate thresholds. Our study highlights the need for an international consensus to redefine the place and threshold of biological biomarkers for ALPS diagnosis.

Patient and Family Experience With Discharge Directly Home From the Pediatric ICU.

Children are increasingly discharged directly from the PICU. Transitions have been recognized as a period of increased patient and caregiver stress and risk of adverse events. No study has evaluated patient and caregiver outcomes after direct discharge from the PICU. This study aimed to explore the family's experiences with discharge directly home (DDH) from the PICU. This exploratory mixed-methods study was conducted in the PICU of the Institution is Sainte-Justine Hospital from February to July 2021. We included families of children expected to be DDH within 12 hours. Semistructured interviews were conducted at discharge, followed by telephone interviews 7 and 28 days post-PICU discharge. We measured comfort on a 5-point Likert scale and screened for anxiety using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 tool. Families of 25 patients were interviewed. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed several themes, such as feeling stress and anxiety, feeling confident, anticipating home care, and needing support. These findings complemented the quantitative findings; the median comfort score was 4 (comfortable) (interquartile range 4-5) and 8 (interquartile range 4-12) for the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 on the day of discharge, with 16 reporting clinically significant anxiety. In the 28-day study period, 2 patients were readmitted and 6 had visited the emergency department. Despite feelings of anxiety, many families felt comfortable with DDH from the PICU. Increasing our understanding of the patient and family experiences of discharge from the PICU will help to better support these patients and their families during transition.

A41 FONTAN ASSOCIATED LIVER DISEASE: THE ROLE OF TRANSIENT ELASTOGRAPHY IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Abstract Background Non-invasive assessment of Fontan Associated Liver Disease (FALD) is of interest, but studies have yielded inconsistent results about the correlation of severity of disease with laboratory values and imaging. Transient elastography (TE) is a non-invasive imaging modality used commonly for liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and in Fontan patients it is hypothesized to reflect not only liver fibrosis but also venous congestion. Purpose To better define the potential role of TE for non-invasive assessment of the severity of FALD. Method This was a retrospective study conducted on patients’ medical records at CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital. Patients less than 18 years of age with FALD who had at undergone at least one LSM by TE between 1998-2021 were included. The relationship between LSM and liver function tests, hepatic ultrasound findings (including a cirrhosis score), cardiac catheterization results and histological fibrosis scores were analyzed. The impact of interventions during cardiac catherization on LSM were also studied. Result(s) A total of 54 patients (36 boys and 18 girls) with FALD were studied. Median age at Fontan surgery was 4.6 years (IQR 4.0 ─ 5.4 years). Higher LSM values significantly correlated with longer time from Fontan, higher total and direct bilirubin and GGT levels, higher INR, longer APTT, lower Factor V, and lower absolute lymphocyte count. Greater LSM was also significantly associated with the presence of heterogenous parenchymal echogenicity, irregular liver contours and greater ultrasonographic cirrhosis scores. Higher TE values were significantly correlated with higher wedged hepatic venous pressure and Fontan pressure. After catherization interventions that addressed stenoses, there was a statistically significant reduction in mean LSM (24.9±3.63 kPa vs 15.8±4.6 kPa, p=0.005). After closure of significant pulmonary collaterals, mean LSM tended to increase, but this difference did not reach statistical significance (19.1±1.9 kPa vs 24.6±3.5 kPa, p=0.2). At liver biopsy, significant direct correlation was found between LSM and the grade of sinusoidal fibrosis and LSM. TE with values &amp;gt;20 kPa were found to have higher grades of sinusoidal fibrosis, while values &amp;lt;20kPa had higher grades of sinusoidal dilatation. Conclusion(s) This study showed that TE allows to identify patients with higher cholestatic parameters, more severe liver fibrosis at biopsy and sonographic signs suggestive of cirrhosis. Moreover, it confirmed that liver congestion significantly contributes to LSM values. Interestingly, catheter interventions addressing pulmonary stenoses led to the improvement of TE measurements, giving hope for the reduction of hepatic venous congestion in these patients, which might have an effect on their FALD. Finally, the LSM threshold of 20 kPa could be useful clinically as a value above which fibrosis is likely to be significant, while if below could indicate a greater contribution from hepatic congestion. Please acknowledge all funding agencies by checking the applicable boxes below None Disclosure of Interest None Declared

Abstract P134: Dietary Intake and Vascular Function and Myocardial Structure in Canadian Youth With and Without Type 1 Diabetes: The Cardea Study

Introduction: People living with T1D are disproportionally more affected by CVD than the general population. As emerging evidence points to direct effects of diet on vascular function and cardiac structure, dietary interventions may be effective strategies to mitigate CVD risk early on. Hypothesis: We tested the hypothesis that specific dietary components and diet quality are associated with early markers of vascular and cardiac structure and function in youth with T1D. We compared these to associations in healthy controls. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 100 youth with T1D aged 14-18 yrs recruited at the Diabetes Clinic at Sainte-Justine Hospital University Center (Montreal, Canada) and 97 age and sex-matched healthy controls. Pulse-wave velocity (PWV) estimated arterial stiffness; velocity time integral (VTI) and acceleration during a flow-mediated dilation test assessed endothelial function. We measured left ventricular mass/height (LVMH), papillary mass, and wall thickness with cardiac MRI. Diet was measured with 3 x 24-h dietary recalls. Nutrients and foods were analyzed with the CANDAT software based on the Canadian Nutrient File. We assessed daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, fish, red meat, sugar-sweetened beverages and juices (SBJs), and sweets and chips. Food groups were all adjusted for total energy intake. We used the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I) to assess overall diet quality. We estimated linear regression models for each diet variable/outcome combination separately in youth with T1D and healthy controls adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, parental education, physical activity and sedentary time (by accelerometer), and heart rate. Results: Girls comprised 48% of the sample; the mean age was 16.3 yrs (SD=1.3). The T1D group included more youth having overweight or obesity (43% vs. 20%), and was more ethnically diverse (White: 60% vs. 72%), compared to controls. Average glycated hemoglobin was 8.5% (SD=1.4) and median diabetes duration 6 yrs (IQR=3-10) in youth with T1D. In youth with T1D : Consuming more fruits was associated with lower PWV (beta [95% CI] per serving: -0.21 [-0.40; -0.02] m/s). Greater SBJ intake was paradoxically associated with higher VTI (per % total energy intake: 0.34 [0.04; 0.65] cm). DQI-I was related to a higher LVMH (per unit: 0.5 [0.1; 0.9] g/m). In controls : Eating more fruit was associated with a greater LVMH (per serving: 2.5 [0.1; 4.7] g/m). Higher SBJ intake was associated with a lower wall thickness (per % total energy intake: -0.10 [-0.20; -0.01] mm). Conclusions: Findings suggest that consuming more fruit could prevent arterial stiffening in youth with T1D. We previously reported that youth with T1D had lower LVMH than controls, and findings herein suggest that better diet quality could help compensate for this deficit. Overall, our results provide evidence on diet as a potential strategy to lower CVD risk in youth with T1D.

P840 Longitudinal bidirectional association of physical activity and disease activity in children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: a cohort study

Abstract Background Studies have shown that regular physical activity (PA) can contribute to lower inflammatory markers over time in pediatric patients with an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, patients with active disease may be less prone to engage in PA and therefore, develop sedentary habits. No study so far, have investigated if clinical disease activity (CDA) can affect PA longitudinally and if PA may impact disease outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the bidirectional association between PA and CDA in a cohort of children and adolescents with IBD. Methods IBD patients of CHU Sainte-Justine pediatric hospital were prospectively surveyed using the Canadian Health Measures Survey Children’s Physical Activity Questionnaire during outpatient visits every three months for one year. PA levels were classified according to Canadian moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) recommendations. Clinical data was collected retrospectively through patients’ files. CDA was determined at baseline and at each follow-up visit. Results A total of 247 IBD patients (median age [IQR], 15 years [13-17]; 55% male) were included. Among them, 167 (68%) were diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and 80 (32%) with ulcerative or indeterminate colitis. At the initial visit, 65% of patients were considered in clinical remission, 28% of patients were considered “sedentary”, 21% “moderately active”, 31% “extremely active” and 25% “vigorously active”. Patients classified as “extremely active” (34-74 minutes of daily MVPA) at initial visit were less likely to have active CDA at follow-up (odds ratio (OR) [95% CI]: 0.30 [0.09-0.96]). Inversely, CDA at baseline did not correlate with PA levels at follow-up. BMI, sex and age did not significantly affect PA level or CDA between follow-ups. Conclusion This study demonstrates a possible protective association between higher PA level and CDA over time in pediatric IBD. These findings stress the importance to engage children with IBD in regular physical activity.

2022 Interim Guidance to Health Care Providers for Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support in Adults, Children, and Neonates With Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19: From the Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee and Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation Adult and Pediatric Task Forces of the American Heart Association in Collaboration With the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association for Respiratory Care, the Society

2022 Interim Guidance to Health Care Providers for Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support in Adults, Children, and Neonates With Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19: From the Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee and Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation Adult and Pediatric Task Forces of the American Heart Association in Collaboration With the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association for Respiratory Care, the Society

Platelet transfusion practices in neonatology: A single-center observational study

Aims: Platelet transfusions are common in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), yet practices vary substantially. This study aims to determine platelet transfusion incidence, determinants, and justifications in neonatology. Methods: Single-center prospective cohort study, including all patients consecutively admitted to the CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital NICU over a 5-month period in 2013. Data were collected by chart review and transfusion justifications were assessed using a questionnaire. Results: A total of 401 participants were included. Mean birth weight (BW) was 2.34±1.01 kg and gestational age (GA) was 34.4±4.5 weeks. Thirty-seven neonates (9.2%) received at least one platelet transfusion. Platelet-transfused neonates were mostly extremely preterm (40.5%) or term (24.3%). The median pre-platelet transfusion count was 57 × 109/L (9–285 × 109/L). Compared to non-transfused patients, those who received at least one platelet transfusion had a significantly lower BW and GA, higher CRIB-II and SNAPPE-II scores (all p and#60;0.001) and were more frequently admitted for respiratory disease (p and#60;0.001), hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (p=0.009), and hemolytic disease of the newborn (p and#60;0.001). Gestational age and#60;28 weeks (pand#60;0.001), mechanical ventilation requirements (p=0.008), and platelet nadir ≤150 × 109/L (pand#60;0.001) upon admission were independently associated with a higher risk of platelet transfusion in this cohort. Most frequent justifications for ordering a first platelet transfusion were low platelet counts (86.5%), underlying disease (78.4%) and illness severity (37.8%). Conclusion: Pre-transfusion platelet counts in neonates varied widely and were higher than the thresholds proposed in the literature. Several factors other than platelet count predicted risk of platelet transfusion in this cohort.

Abstract 10371: Trajectories of Glycemic Control and Early Markers of Cardiovascular Disease in Canadian Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: The Cardea Study

Introduction: Adequate glycemic control can prevent or delay complications of diabetes. Little is known about the role of glycemic control trajectories on early markers of CVD in youth. Hypothesis: Poor glycemic control trajectory will be associated with increased vascular ageing and altered myocardial structure. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 100 youth with T1D recruited at Sainte-Justine Hospital, Canada. Trajectories of glycated hemoglobin (Hb A1c ) were estimated with group-based trajectory modelling, using 3 to 6 values retrieved from patients’ medical records over the preceding year. Vessel stiffness was assessed by pulse-wave velocity (PWV) and distensibility by velocity time integral (VTI) and acceleration during a brachial flow-mediated dilation test. Cardiac magnetic resonance assessed ejection fraction, left ventricular mass indexed by height (LVMH), papillary mass and wall thickness. Linear regression models were estimated between Hb A1c trajectory group and each CVD marker, with age, sex, ethnicity and duration of diabetes at baseline as covariates. Results: Mean age was 16.4 yrs (SD=1.3) and median diabetes duration 6.1 yrs (IQR=3.4-10.4). Forty-eight percent were girls, 63% were White and 43% had overweight/obesity. Three trajectories of Hb A1c were identified ( Figure ). Compared with the optimal trajectory, belonging to the high Hb A1c trajectory was associated with a lower ejection fraction (beta [95% CI]: -2.1% [-6.2; 2.0]), LVMH (-6.3 g/m [-15.4; 2.8]) and papillary mass (-1.2 g [-2.2; -0.2]). Youth in the high Hb A1c trajectory displayed higher PWV (0.2 m/s [-0.4; 0.8]) and lower VTI (-2.9 cm/s 2 [-8.4; 2.7]) and acceleration (-63.6 cm/s 2 [-188.7; 61.5]) compared with the optimal trajectory group. Conclusions: Poor glycemic control is linked to increased vascular ageing and a lower myocardial mass in youth with T1D, which is consistent with our prior finding that youth with T1D exhibit a lower myocardial mass than healthy controls.

Abstract 11378: Reference Intervals of Activated Clotting Time in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

Introduction: Monitoring the anticoagulant effect of heparin is critical to prevent thrombosis and/or bleeding during cardiac surgery. This evaluation is usually performed by assessing the activated clotting time (ACT) with a POC device. Despite the relevance and widespread use of ACT, there are currently limited reference values to use as a target. Furthermore, compared to the adult population, infants have been described with a longer ACT, reinforcing the need to establish a separate reference interval for this segment of the population. Aim: The present work aims to propose reference intervals of ACT in pediatric patients. Methods: We collected data on 155 consecutive patients, ranging in age from 1 day to 18 years, undergoing cardiac surgery from 01-2019 to 01-2021 at Sainte-Justine hospital. Prior to surgery, patients were given UFH as a bolus of 3 mg/kg, and Hemochron Signature Elite ACT+ (Accriva Diagnostics, Inc.) was used to measure ACT before and promptly after heparin injection. Data were subsequently analyzed by using a parametric method. Lower and upper reference limits are the values at the 2.5 and 97.5 percentile, respectively. Results: The ACT before heparin injection followed a normal distribution with a lower reference limit at 85 seconds and an upper limit at 147 seconds compared to the range of 70-120 seconds proposed for the general population. Interestingly, the ACT after heparin bolus exhibited a non-gaussian distribution. Since neonates have been previously described with a greater heparin resistance compared to older infants; patients were separated into two age groups: patients &lt; 1-month of age (Group A; n=31) and patients &gt; 1-month (group B; n=124). Afterward, we performed a log transformation of the ACT values after heparin injection to approximate a Gaussian distribution, yielding mean ACT value of 392 seconds (limits 291-529 seconds) for Group A and 473 seconds (limits 314-996 seconds) for Group B (Welch test p value = 4.4 10 -6 ). No significant difference in ACT values prior to heparin bolus was found between the two groups. Conclusion: Overall, our results provide reference values of ACT measured using an Hemochron device, in a pediatric context, paving the way for improved patient care during cardiac surgery.

Estimated Pao2: A Continuous and Noninvasive Method to Estimate Pao2 and Oxygenation Index.

To validate a continuous and noninvasive method to estimate hypoxemia severity for all Spo2 values. All patients who had an arterial blood gas and simultaneous continuous noninvasive monitoring from 2011 to 2019 at Boston Children's Hospital (Boston, MA) PICU. External cohort at Sainte-Justine Hospital PICU (Montreal, QC, Canada) from 2017 to 2020. We estimated the Pao2 using three kinds of neural networks and an empirically optimized mathematical model derived from known physiologic equations. We included 52,879 Pao2 (3,252 patients) in the derivation dataset and 12,047 Pao2 (926 patients) in the validation dataset. The mean function on the last minute before the arterial blood gas had the lowest bias (bias -0.1% validation cohort). A difference greater than or equal to 3% between pulse rate and electrical heart rate decreased the intraclass correlation coefficients (0.75 vs 0.44; p < 0.001) implying measurement noise. Our estimated Pao2 equation had the highest intraclass correlation coefficient (0.38; 95% CI, 0.36-0.39; validation cohort) and outperformed neural networks and existing equations. Using the estimated Pao2 to estimate the oxygenation index showed a significantly better hypoxemia classification (kappa) than oxygenation saturation index for both Spo2 less than or equal to 97% (0.79 vs 0.60; p < 0.001) and Spo2 greater than 97% (0.58 vs 0.52; p < 0.001). The estimated Pao2 using pulse rate and electrical heart rate Spo2 validation allows a continuous and noninvasive estimation of the oxygenation index that is valid for Spo2 less than or equal to 97% and for Spo2 greater than 97%. Display of continuous analysis of estimated Pao2 and estimated oxygenation index may provide decision support to assist with hypoxemia diagnosis and oxygen titration in critically ill patients.

Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections in Pregnant Women and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes.

To analyze risk factors for the presence of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) in pregnancy and to determine whether pregnant women with STBBIs are more likely to experience adverse pregnancy outcomes. This retrospective cohort study involved analyzing the electronic records of 3460 pregnant women followed at Sainte-Justine Hospital in Montréal, Québec, between March 2017 and January 2019. An outcome is defined as a pregnancy where the woman has at least one positive laboratory result for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C (i.e., has one or multiple STBBIs). We performed a logistic regression analysis to determine adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for the risk factors of STBBIs in pregnant women. We identified 84 positive STBBI cases, an overall prevalence of 2.4% (95% CI 1.9-2.9). A logistic regression analysis showed the following factors to be significantly associated with the presence of STBBIs in pregnancy: age <20 years (OR 4.75; 95% CI 1.89-11.96), age 20-29 years (OR 2.38; 95% CI 1.37-4.14), Afro-Caribbean origin (OR 4.12; 95% CI 1.83-9.27), other non-Caucasian origin (OR 2.38; 95% CI 1.20-4.70), and history of STBBIs (OR 2.33; 95% CI 1.02-5.36). STBBIs were not significantly associated with social and material deprivation indices nor were they associated with low birth weight or preterm birth. This study shows age <20 years, age 20-29 years, Afro-Caribbean or other non-Caucasian origin and history of STBBIs to be risk factors for the presence of STBBIs in pregnancy. These results will allow us to propose interventions to reduce STBBIs in women with common risk factors as part of a comprehensive approach to perinatal care.

Comparison of the Automated Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 Versus Manual Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 Score for Critically Ill Children.

The Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 is a validated score that quantifies organ dysfunction severity and requires complex data collection that is time-consuming and subject to errors. We hypothesized that a computer algorithm that automatically collects and calculates the Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 (aPELOD-2) score would be valid, fast and at least as accurate as a manual approach (mPELOD-2). Retrospective cohort study. Single center tertiary medical and surgical pediatric critical care unit (Sainte-Justine Hospital, Montreal, Canada). Critically ill children participating in four clinical studies between January 2013 and August 2018, a period during which mPELOD-2 data were manually collected. None. The aPELOD-2 was calculated for all consecutive admissions between 2013 and 2018 (n = 5,279) and had a good survival discrimination with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.84 (95% CI, 0.81-0.88). We also collected data from four single-center studies in which mPELOD-2 was calculated (n = 796, 57% medical, 43% surgical) and compared these measurements to those of the aPELOD-2. For those patients, median age was 15 months (interquartile range, 3-73 mo), median ICU stay was 5 days (interquartile range, 3-9 d), mortality was 3.9% (n = 28). The intraclass correlation coefficient between mPELOD-2 and aPELOD-2 was 0.75 (95% CI, 0.73-0.77). The Bland-Altman showed a bias of 1.9 (95% CI, 1.7-2) and limits of agreement of -3.1 (95% CI, -3.4 to -2.8) to 6.8 (95% CI, 6.5-7.2). The highest agreement (Cohen's Kappa) of the Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 components was noted for lactate level (0.88), invasive ventilation (0.86), and creatinine level (0.82) and the lowest for the Glasgow Coma Scale (0.52). The proportion of patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome was higher for aPELOD-2 (78%) than mPELOD-2 (72%; p = 0.002). The aPELOD-2 had a better survival discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.72-0.90) over mPELOD-2 (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.59-0.82; p = 0.01). We successfully created a freely available automatic algorithm to calculate the Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 score that is less labor intensive and has better survival discrimination than the manual calculation. Use of an automated system could greatly facilitate integration of the Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 score at the bedside and within clinical decision support systems.

An epidemiological portrait of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) in pregnant women followed at Sainte-Justine hospital: identification of risk factors and associated perinatal vulnerabilities

An epidemiological portrait of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) in pregnant women followed at Sainte-Justine hospital: identification of risk factors and associated perinatal vulnerabilities

Head ultrasound, CT or MRI? The choice of neuroimaging in the assessment of infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection

BackgroundDespite growing interest in universal screening for congenital CMV infection (cCMV), and data to support treatment for cases with central nervous system (CNS) involvement, there is limited regarding the optimal imaging modalities to identify CNS involvement. The objective of this study was to assess the concordance between head ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT), in identifying neurological abnormalities in infants with cCMV infection, and to determine whether the addition of advanced neuroimaging after US had an impact on clinical management.MethodsRetrospective review of infants with cCMV infection, referred to the Centre d’Infectiologie Mère-Enfant (CIME) at Sainte-Justine Hospital Center in Montreal, between 2008 and 2016. Only patients who underwent head US followed by and brain MRI or CT scan were included in this analysis.ResultsOf 46 cases of cCMV identified during the study period, 34 (74%) had a head US followed by MRI (n = 28, 61%), or CT scan (n = 6, 13%). In the majority of cases (n = 24, 71%), both images were concordant (11 both reported abnormal, 13 both reported normal). In 5 cases, US was reported normal and subsequent imaging (MRI = 4, CT = 1); reported abnormal. In all 5 cases patients were clinically symptomatic and met treatment criteria even in the absence of neuroimaging findings. In 5 cases, US was reported abnormal with a subsequent normal MRI (4) or CT (1); in 2 of these cases, patients were clinically symptomatic and met treatment criteria regardless of neuroimaging findings. However, in 3 cases, the patients were clinically asymptomatic, and in 2 of these cases, treated based only on the abnormal US findings.ConclusionsIn this study, we found that that sequential US and MRI were concordant in the majority (71%) of cases in detecting abnormalities potentially associated with cCMV infection. While the addition of MRI to baseline head ultrasound did not influence the decision to treat in clinically symptomatic infants, the addition of MRI to infants with abnormal HUS imaging who are clinically asymptomatic could help refine treatment decisions in these cases.

Clinical Use of an Order Protocol for Distress in Pediatric Palliative Care

Several children receiving palliative care experience dyspnea and pain. An order protocol for distress (OPD) is available at Sainte-Justine Hospital, aimed at alleviating respiratory distress, pain and anxiety in pediatric palliative care patients. This study evaluates the clinical use of the OPD at Sainte-Justine Hospital, through a retrospective chart review of all patients for whom the OPD was prescribed between September 2009 and September 2012. Effectiveness of the OPD was assessed using chart documentation of the patient’s symptoms, or the modified Borg scale. Safety of the OPD was evaluated by measuring the time between administration of the first medication and the patient’s death, and clinical evolution of the patient as recorded in the chart. One hundred and four (104) patients were included in the study. The OPD was administered at least once to 78 (75%) patients. A total of 350 episodes of administration occurred, mainly for respiratory distress (89%). Relief was provided in 90% of cases. The interval between administration of the first protocol and death was 17 h; the interval was longer in children with cancer compared to other illnesses (p = 0.02). Data from this study support the effectiveness and safety of using an OPD for children receiving palliative care.

3D imaging system for respiratory monitoring in pediatric intensive care environment

Assessment of respiratory activity in pediatric intensive care unit allows a comprehensive view of the patient’s condition. This allows the identification of high-risk cases for prompt and appropriate medical treatment. Numerous research works on respiration monitoring have been conducted in recent years. However, most of them are unsuitable for clinical environment or require physical contact with the patient, which limits their efficiency. In this paper, we present a novel system for measuring the breathing pattern based on a computer vision method and contactless design. Our 3D imaging system is specifically designed for pediatric intensive care environment, which distinguishes it from the other imaging methods. Indeed, previous works are mostly limited to the use of conventional video acquisition devices, in addition to not considering the constraints imposed by intensive care environment. The proposed system uses depth information captured by two (Red Green Blue-Depth) RGB-D cameras at different view angles, by considering the intensive care unit constraints. Depth information is then exploited to reconstruct a 3D surface of a patient's torso with high temporal and spatial resolution and large spatial coverage. Our system captures the motion information for the top of the torso surface as well as for its both lateral sides. For each reconstruction, the volume is estimated through a recursive subdivision of the 3D space into cubic unit elements. The volume change is then calculated through a subtraction technique between successive reconstructions. We tested our system in the pediatric intensive care unit of the Sainte-Justine university hospital center, where it was compared to the gold standard method currently used in pediatric intensive care units. The performed experiments showed a very high accuracy and precision of the proposed imaging system in estimating respiratory rate and tidal volume.

OUTCOMES IN EXTREMELY PREMATURE INFANTS WITH TWIN-TWIN TRANSFUSION SYNDROME TREATED BY LASER THERAPY

Abstract BACKGROUND Twin pregnancies and fetal therapies are associated with increased risk of preterm delivery. Limited literature exists on outcomes for extremely preterm infants born in the context of a pregnancy complicated with twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). OBJECTIVES To compare mortality of preterm newborns who received laser therapy for TTTS to preterm controls born in the context of a dichorionic-diamniotic (di-di) pregnancy. Secondary outcomes are: short-term neonatal morbidities and neurodevelopmental measures at 18 months of corrected gestational age (cGA). DESIGN/METHODS Case-control retrospective study of all twins infant born &lt;29 weeks of gestation between 2006 and 2015 at Sainte-Justine Hospital. Preterm with TTTS and fetal laser therapy were compared to preterm di-di twins. Survival analysis was done using Cox proportional regression model. RESULTS Thirty-three preterms with TTTS (TTTS-laser group) were compared to 101 preterms without TTTS (non-TTTS group). Demographic data and comparisons for short-term morbidities are presented in Table 1. TTTS status was not associated with increased mortality when adjusting for birth weight and antenatal steroids (Table 2). No differences were found for Bayley-3rd edition score, cerebral palsy, vision impairment, hearing impairment and growth parameters at 18-month cGA. CONCLUSION Extremely premature newborns exposed to fetal laser therapy due to TTTS had similar survival and neurodevelopmental outcomes compared to contemporaneous extremely preterm di-di twins.

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY, PREDUCTAL PERFUSION INDEX AND CARDIAC OUTPUTS IN EXTREMELY PRETERM INFANTS IN THE FIRST 72 HOURS OF LIFE

Abstract BACKGROUND Assessment of hemodynamics during the transitional period in preterm infants is challenging. OBJECTIVES We aimed to describe the relationship between cerebral regional tissue oxygenation saturation (CrSO2), preductal perfusion index (PI), echocardiographic and clinical parameters in extremely preterm infants in their first 72 hours of life. DESIGN/METHODS This single center prospective observational study was conducted in the level 3 neonatal intensive care unit of Sainte-Justine Hospital between July 2015 and May 2016. Twenty newborns born at &lt;28 weeks of gestation were continuously monitored with CrSO2 and preductal PI as well as cardiac outputs measured at 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours of life. Data were assessed for normality and Pearson correlation statistics were performed. Serial data were tested using a one-way ANOVA with repeated measures and Bonferroni adjustment. The level of significance was set to 0.05 RESULTS Median gestational age and birth weight were 25.0 weeks (24–26) and 750 g (655–920) respectively. Table 1 describes the measures over the 72 hours of the study period. CrSO2 and preductal PI were weakly correlated with mean blood pressure, PaCO2, lactates and haemoglobin. Fifteen patients had at least one episode of low left and/or right ventricular output (RVO) measured and showed strong correlation between CrSO2 and superior vena cava (SVC) flow at H6 (r=0.74) and H24 (r=0.86) and between PI and RVO at H6 (r=0.68) and H24 (r=0.92). Five patients had low SVC flowat H6 and showed strong correlation between PI and RVO (r=0.98). CONCLUSION CrSO2 and preductal PI were weakly correlated with clinical parameters in the preterm infants. However, CrSO2 and PI showed stronger correlation with RVO and SVC flow during low cardiac output states.

Web-Based Intervention to Teach Developmentally Supportive Care to Parents of Preterm Infants: Feasibility and Acceptability Study.

BackgroundPreterm birth affects 8% to 11% of the population and conveys a significant risk of developmental delays. Intervention programs that support child development have been shown to have a positive impact on early motor and cognitive development and on parental well-being. However, these programs are often difficult to implement in a real-life setting due to lack of resources. Hence, our multidisciplinary team developed Mieux Agir au Quotidien (MAQ) to teach developmentally supportive care to parents of preterm infants with the goal of improving child development and parental outcomes. Our intervention included 3 in-person workshops that occurred prior to hospital discharge and a Web-based platform with written and videotaped materials that addressed 5 main themes: (1) infant behavioral cues, (2) flexion positioning; (3) oral feeding support, (4) parent-infant interactions, and (5) anticipation of developmental milestones.ObjectiveThis study aimed to test the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention by parents of preterm infants and assess clinical benefits on child neurodevelopment and parental outcomes during the first year of life.MethodsA total of 107 infants born at <30 weeks and admitted to Sainte-Justine Hospital neonatal intensive care unit and their parents were enrolled in a nonrandomized controlled before-and-after interventional study (intervention n=55, comparison n=52). Acceptability of the program was assessed with a user satisfaction questionnaire. When the infants were at 4 months’ corrected age, all parents completed questionnaires on infant temperament, parenting stress, sense of competence, and parenting satisfaction. At 12 months’ corrected age, neurodevelopmental testing was performed on infants using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition. Comparisons between the 2 groups were done using independent t tests, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, and Fisher exact tests.ResultsThe majority of parents (43/45) were satisfied with the intervention program and all would recommend MAQ to others. MAQ met their need for evidence-based information that proved useful to support their child development. No difference in parental or child neurodevelopmental outcomes was detected in this pilot study for most outcomes except for higher median scores for parental coercive behaviors in the intervention group, although proportions scoring in the coercive range did not differ.ConclusionsAcceptability of the program was high among parents thus supporting the relevance of such intervention. A larger study using a randomized controlled trial design is needed to better document impact on parent and children and investigate how Web-based technologies can efficiently complement individualized intervention to alleviate the burden on health care resources.