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In Brief

Predicting Urinary Continence For a Child With Anorectal Malformation
 Predicting Urinary Continence For a Child With Anorectal Malformation 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Researchers suggest objective, measurable factors can be used to provide families with reasonable expectations In a child born with an anorectal malformation (ARM), anatomical features including a low-complexity ARM, high sacral ratio and a normal spine each independently predicts the child has a higher chance of urinary continence, research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital shows. “When…

Newspapers Overlook Best Practices When Reporting a Celebrity Suicide Death
 Newspapers Overlook Best Practices When Reporting a Celebrity Suicide Death 150 150 Katelyn Hanzel
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A new study shows that most articles do not adhere to suicide reporting guidelines, but experts say parents can help by starting conversations about mental health. Research shows media coverage of a celebrity suicide has the potential to increase the risk for contagion, especially among vulnerable individuals. To reduce possible harmful effects, suicide reporting guidelines…

Multicenter Data Reveals Distal Hypospadias Repair Overall Success Rate
 Multicenter Data Reveals Distal Hypospadias Repair Overall Success Rate 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Despite its use as an indicator of a department’s surgical skill, the reoperation rate for distal hypospadias repair has long been based on publications covering data from single-center studies — until now. Among its indicators for urologic surgery quality, U.S. News & World Report examines the complication rate for children undergoing distal hypospadias repair (relocation of the…

Cheaper, Generic Drug Just as Effective in Preserving Heart Function in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
 Cheaper, Generic Drug Just as Effective in Preserving Heart Function in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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A new clinical trial found a cheaper generic drug is effective in protecting the heart in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. A recent clinical trial conducted found a cost-effective generic medication works just as well as a more expensive drug in preserving heart function in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Published in the Journal of the…

A Molecular Mechanism Underlying Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension in Neonates
 A Molecular Mechanism Underlying Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension in Neonates 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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New study identifies critical enzyme and potential therapeutic target for pulmonary hypertension in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Nitric oxide can be life saving for many newborns with pulmonary hypertension (PH); however, there are subsets of patients who do not respond to current PH treatment. Therefore, scientists at Nationwide Children’s Hospital are investigating the enzymes…

Home Infusions Are a Viable Option for Children, Teens With IBD
 Home Infusions Are a Viable Option for Children, Teens With IBD 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Cuts time away from school and work, and has proven safe Many children with inflammatory bowel disease require medication infusions at the hospital every four to eight weeks, often requiring travel and time off from school and work. But for many children and adolescents, infusions can be done at home or at a local external…

Surprise Finding in Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection Viral Load Study
 Surprise Finding in Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection Viral Load Study 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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Understanding viral load dynamics can help inform treatment decisions Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract infection is a leading cause of hospitalization and mortality in infants worldwide, but a licensed RSV vaccine has not yet been developed, in part due to the incomplete understanding of RSV pathogenesis. While investigating the relationship between RSV viral…

Suicide Attempts Among Black Youth Increasing
 Suicide Attempts Among Black Youth Increasing 150 150 MaryEllen Fiorino
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Study finds that black youth are attempting suicide more often than all other racial and ethnic groups. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death in youth 12-18 years old in the United States, and in 2017 alone, suicide accounted for more than 2,200 deaths among…

Medicaid Patients With Common “Buckle” Fractures Have Less Access to Primary Care Physicians
 Medicaid Patients With Common “Buckle” Fractures Have Less Access to Primary Care Physicians 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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A national study found that the known disparity in access to care for Medicaid-covered children seeking orthopedic specialty care also occurs in primary care practices. Limits in access to specialty orthopedic care exist for children with Medicaid, in a large part due to many practices not accepting government insurance. Although many orthopedic injuries can be…

What Can We Learn From the Co-occurrence of a Genetic Disorder and Cancer?
 What Can We Learn From the Co-occurrence of a Genetic Disorder and Cancer? 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Researchers investigate an unusual case of concurrent genetic and somatic diagnoses. In a new paper in the European Journal of Medical Genetics, researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital discuss the case of a 4-year-old with both a rare genetic disorder and medulloblastoma. Genetic analyses allowed them to evaluate the cause of the genetic disorder and provided support…

New Model Provides Novel View of Congenital Heart Disease
 New Model Provides Novel View of Congenital Heart Disease 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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The small animal model helps researchers to interpret genomic findings. Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital have developed the first mouse model of congenital heart valve disease using a human gene carrying a disease-causing mutation. Using this model, they were able to follow the human valve disease phenotype from birth to adulthood and identify developmental deficits…

Do Seizure Action Plans Make a Difference for Patients and Families?
 Do Seizure Action Plans Make a Difference for Patients and Families? 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Families given a written plan were more comfortable with seizure care and missed fewer appointments. Caregivers for children with epilepsy were more likely to bring their children to regularly scheduled clinic visits if they had previously been given a printed seizure action plan tailored to help them understand their child’s condition, manage it at home…

Family Support Linked to Resilience in Kindergarteners Born Preterm
 Family Support Linked to Resilience in Kindergarteners Born Preterm 150 150 Adelaide Feibel
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Despite known adverse outcomes associated with prematurity, a large minority of kindergarteners born preterm exhibit none of them. For years, medical researchers have dedicated countless hours to studying the adverse outcomes of premature births. But in their attempts to illuminate the incidence of cognitive, behavioral and learning deficits in preterm and low-birth-weight infants, researchers have…

In Defense Against Peritonitis, Antimicrobial Peptides May Help on Multiple Fronts
 In Defense Against Peritonitis, Antimicrobial Peptides May Help on Multiple Fronts 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Study suggests AMPs have potential as biomarkers for peritonitis, risk stratification and treatment. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in the Ribonuclease A Superfamily exhibit distinct patterns when children and adults undergoing chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) suffer from peritonitis, researchers have found. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, suggest that AMPs in peritoneal fluid are potentially useful as…

How Much Opioid Medication Should Pediatric Orthopedic Patients Receive?
 How Much Opioid Medication Should Pediatric Orthopedic Patients Receive? 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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A study suggests doses could be tailored to each particular patient’s injury. Doctors have traditionally used opioids as the primary component of pain management after orthopedic surgery in pediatric patients. But with the misuse and abuse of prescription opioids a growing public health concern, doctors are looking to limit what they prescribe to the minimum…

Gene Expression Changes With CFTR Modulator Treatment
 Gene Expression Changes With CFTR Modulator Treatment 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Patients with cystic fibrosis show transcriptomic changes after starting treatment with lumacaftor/ivacaftor. In a new study, researchers from Nationwide Children’s analyzed the gene expression profiles of cystic fibrosis patients before and after treatment with the drug lumacaftor/ivacaftor. The findings have implications for the evaluation of existing medications as well as the development of new treatments. Care…

Skin-to-Skin Care Safe for Infants After Surgery
 Skin-to-Skin Care Safe for Infants After Surgery 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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A quality improvement project shows that skin-to-skin care can be safely integrated into the treatment of infants who require surgery. Multiple barriers prevent routine skin-to-skin care for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), particularly for infants requiring surgical consultation. A recent quality improvement project, published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery, shows that routine…

Research Collaborative Improves Outcome Prediction in Children With Posterior Urethral Valves
 Research Collaborative Improves Outcome Prediction in Children With Posterior Urethral Valves 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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Combining data from five centers allowed researchers to address novel research questions for this rare disease. The Pediatric Urology Midwest Alliance (PUMA) recently published the results of its first collaborative study in Pediatrics. Using data from five institutions, the team demonstrated that the risk of renal replacement therapy and recommendation for clean intermittent catheterization increased with…

Optimal Use of an FDA-Approved Device for PDA Closure in Infants
 Optimal Use of an FDA-Approved Device for PDA Closure in Infants 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Randomized, controlled clinical trials are needed to answer questions regarding when and with whom to use the device. In January 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a novel device for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure in infants. The Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder is indicated for catheter-based closure of PDA in infants weighing more than…

Variation in Functional Measurements of the Left Ventricle
 Variation in Functional Measurements of the Left Ventricle 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Data from The Pediatric Heart Network Normal Echocardiogram Database show interobserver variability, especially in younger and smaller patients. Echocardiography is the primary tool clinicians have to assess ventricular size and function. Accurate evaluation of the left ventricle is critical in the treatment of patients with congenital and acquired heart disease, as well as other conditions…

Stopping Progression of Tissue Injury after Button Battery Ingestion
 Stopping Progression of Tissue Injury after Button Battery Ingestion 150 150 Abbie Miller
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Irrigation with acetic acid neutralizes tissue and prevents delayed esophageal complications. Button battery injuries in children have been increasingly severe – resulting in devastating injuries and even death. Button batteries damage esophageal tissue through isothermic hydrolysis reactions, resulting in alkaline caustic injury, which leads to tissue necrosis. Prompt removal of the battery is critical to…

How Do Brain Processes Change With Social Reorientation Toward Peers In Adolescence?
 How Do Brain Processes Change With Social Reorientation Toward Peers In Adolescence? 150 150 Adelaide Feibel
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A recent study shows an association between closeness with peers and levels of activation in the social and reward areas of the adolescent brain. Parents of adolescents know all too well that once children hit their teenage years, they often become closer to their peers and less close to their parents. But little is known…

RNase 7: Paving the Way for a Natural, Antibiotic-Free Treatment for Urinary Tract Infections
 RNase 7: Paving the Way for a Natural, Antibiotic-Free Treatment for Urinary Tract Infections 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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The latest in the body of antimicrobial peptide research suggests RNase7 may be a useful prognostic marker and potential therapeutic option for UTIs. Building on their body of research focused on the naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides in the urinary tract, clinician-scientists at Nationwide Children’s Hospital have now confirmed the suspected role of Ribonuclease 7 (RNase…

Why Do Synthetic Tracheal Replacements Fail?
 Why Do Synthetic Tracheal Replacements Fail? 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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Synthetic tracheal replacements experience infectious, inflammatory and mechanical failures. Tracheal defects in children and adults can often be addressed with current surgical techniques. However, when a defect is large, greater than 50% of an adult windpipe or 30% of a pediatric windpipe, few options exist to repair it without donor tissue. For decades, tissue engineers…

People Outperform Computers at Assigning Injury Severity in Trauma Patients
 People Outperform Computers at Assigning Injury Severity in Trauma Patients 1024 768 Laura Dattner
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Injury severity scores determined by specially trained staff were better at predicting length of stay and mortality than the computer generated scores. The success of trauma quality improvement and research is based upon detailed information maintained in trauma registries. Stratification of injury severity is critically important when collecting patient data for these registries. By compiling…

Screening for Cervical Spine Risk Factors Could Reduce CT Scans by Half
 Screening for Cervical Spine Risk Factors Could Reduce CT Scans by Half 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Study finds identifiable risk factors that ED staff can use for evaluation, avoiding over 100,000 unnecessary scans annually. An estimated 8 million children suffer blunt trauma annually, and while cervical spine injury (CSI) is serious, it is uncommon. Screening children suffering from blunt trauma for CSI risk factors could cut unnecessary computed tomography (CT) scans…

Medicaid Patients With Common “Buckle” Fractures Have Less Access to Primary Care Physicians
 Medicaid Patients With Common “Buckle” Fractures Have Less Access to Primary Care Physicians 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Understanding the Role of LSD2 in the Molecular Genetics of Ewing Sarcoma
 Understanding the Role of LSD2 in the Molecular Genetics of Ewing Sarcoma 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Study reveals novel potential drug target for Ewing sarcoma. Ewing sarcoma is a bone-associated tumor of mostly children and young adults. Despite aggressive multi-modal treatment strategies, five-year survival remains at 75% for patients with localized disease and 20% for patients with metastases. “Our laboratory is organized to try to understand how Ewing sarcoma develops at a…

Free Disposal Bags Increase Rate of Proper Opioid Disposal
 Free Disposal Bags Increase Rate of Proper Opioid Disposal 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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With or without the bags, families of young children prescribed opioids after surgery properly discard drugs at more than double the rate of adults prescribed post-operative opioids. Handing parents a free drug-disposal bag and discussing its usage significantly increases the rate of proper disposal of unused opioid pain medication leftover after surgery, a study at…

Hidden in Plain Sight: The Importance of Safe Storage for Cosmetics and Personal Products
 Hidden in Plain Sight: The Importance of Safe Storage for Cosmetics and Personal Products 150 150 Laura Dattner
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In homes across the country, there are dangerous products hidden in plain sight on bathroom counters and bedroom dressers. Personal care products such as shampoo, lotion, makeup, nail polish remover and cologne seem like they should be safe since they are intended for use on our bodies. However, in the hands of young children, these…

Patent Ductus Arteriosus Closure: Which Patients and When?
 Patent Ductus Arteriosus Closure: Which Patients and When? 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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New review cites need for randomized clinical trials comparing conservative management, surgery, and catheter-based closure. Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a common condition among preterm infants. It increases mortality risk and is linked to harmful long-term outcomes including chronic lung disease, heart failure, and brain injury. Yet the optimal treatment for infants with a PDA…

Swallowing Functions Remain Worse in Preterm Infants Even at Full-Term Equivalent Age
 Swallowing Functions Remain Worse in Preterm Infants Even at Full-Term Equivalent Age 150 150 Abbie Miller
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Preterm infants exerted greater effort than full-term infants to consume less than half the volume in a recent study led by researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Preterm infants face many challenges as they enter the world too soon. One of the biggest challenges is learning the coordination of the suck-swallow refex that allows them to…

Study Finds No Correlation Between Brain Function and Head Impacts After Two Seasons of Youth Tackle Football
 Study Finds No Correlation Between Brain Function and Head Impacts After Two Seasons of Youth Tackle Football 150 150 Abbie Miller
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In a prospective study of children playing tackle football, researchers find minimal changes in neurocognitive outcomes – and any changes were not correlated to number or severity of head impacts. Many parents, potential players and medical providers are increasingly wary of youth contact sports participation. The concern over the potential short- and long-term effects of…

Largest Study of Glomerular Diseases Sheds Light on Pediatric Subtypes
 Largest Study of Glomerular Diseases Sheds Light on Pediatric Subtypes 150 150 Cyndie Trapasso
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In one of the first papers published from the largest study of glomerular diseases, researchers have found significant differences between patients who have IgA nephropathy and a subtype of the disease, IgA vasculitis, and between children and adults with these diagnoses. The paper is from Cure Glomerulonephropathy (CureGN) — a longitudinal observational study of nearly…

Development of a Patient Reported Experience and Outcomes Measure in Pediatric Patients
 Development of a Patient Reported Experience and Outcomes Measure in Pediatric Patients 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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Researchers develop a questionnaire that enables them to assess the burden of treatment compared to the burden of the disease. Researchers have developed a rigorous, patient reported experience and outcomes questionnaire for pediatric patients undergoing an intensive bowel management program (BMP). The report was published online in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. “Often physicians…

Pinterest Perfect Isn’t the Whole Story When It Comes to Safety
 Pinterest Perfect Isn’t the Whole Story When It Comes to Safety 150 150 Abbie Miller
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Imagine the scene: It’s late at night. You’re planning a party for your friend/spouse/child. Your phone is in your hand. What are you doing? You’re probably looking for inspiration on Pinterest or other social media sites. And while they might be the perfect places to find ideas for decorations or a new cupcake recipe, would…

Pushing the Boundaries of Regional Anesthesia for Complex Urological Surgery
 Pushing the Boundaries of Regional Anesthesia for Complex Urological Surgery 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Physician-researchers extend the possibilities for regional anesthesia using combined spinal/caudal catheter anesthesia, allowing even complex, time-consuming pediatric urological surgeries to be completed without general anesthesia. In an effort to extend more regional anesthetic options to children undergoing urological procedures — and to obviate concerns about airway safety and theoretical neurocognitive effects of general anesthesia (GA)…

How Similar Is Chronic Pancreatitis Among Pediatric and Adult Patients?
 How Similar Is Chronic Pancreatitis Among Pediatric and Adult Patients? 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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A large, international study highlights room for improvement in care and transition of patients ages 17 to 24 years old. A new study that compared adult patients with pancreatic disease starting when they were children with pediatric patients with pancreatic disease revealed remarkable similarities in the cause of the disease and progression to chronic pancreatitis.…

Most Seymour Fractures Can be Effectively Treated in the Emergency Room
 Most Seymour Fractures Can be Effectively Treated in the Emergency Room 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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After decades of unclear optimal management for Seymour fractures, evidence suggests orthopedic surgeons need not treat all of these cases in the operating room. Seymour fractures — open fractures of the distal phalanx with a juxta-epiphyseal pattern — were long managed nonsurgically following their namesake’s landmark study from the 1960s that asserted the risks of…

Use of Cardiac MRI to Monitor Medical Treatment of Rhabdomyoma
 Use of Cardiac MRI to Monitor Medical Treatment of Rhabdomyoma 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Case study shows success for medical therapy and MRI monitoring of a cardiac rhabdomyoma. In a new case study, researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital report treating cardiac rhabdomyoma in a newborn with an mTOR inhibitor called everolimus. They monitored the tumor’s regression using cardiac MRI. Cardiac rhabdomyoma is a common type of heart tumor in…

Preventing the Development of Muscular Dystrophy Through Surrogate Gene Therapy
 Preventing the Development of Muscular Dystrophy Through Surrogate Gene Therapy 1024 683 Lauren Dembeck
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Researchers identify a key regulatory protein implicated in Galgt2 overexpression and begin to elucidate its protective mechanism against muscular dystrophy. Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital have identified a small, soluble protein that can activate a human gene known to inhibit the development of muscular dystrophy when overexpressed in muscle. That is, when there is a…

Uroplakin Plaque Key to Protecting Kidney During Urinary Tract Obstruction
 Uroplakin Plaque Key to Protecting Kidney During Urinary Tract Obstruction 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Plaque appears to help remodel urothelium, allowing kidney to hold excess urine without damage, Urinary tract obstruction (UTO) is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease in children. But the extent of damage caused by obstruction differs from child to child. Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital studying why suggest that uroplakin…

New Ultrasound Technique for Monitoring Liver Disease
 New Ultrasound Technique for Monitoring Liver Disease 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Ultrasound elastography accurately and noninvasively measures liver fibrosis in patients with short bowel syndrome.

A Narrowing Gender Gap in Youth Suicides
 A Narrowing Gender Gap in Youth Suicides 1024 575 Mary Bates, PhD
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Teen girl with backpack

Recent data show a disproportionate increase in the suicide rate among female relative to male youth, highlighting a significant reduction in the historically large gap in suicide rates between sexes.

Weight-Loss Surgery in Teens with Severe Obesity Offers Greater Benefits Than Waiting Until Adulthood
 Weight-Loss Surgery in Teens with Severe Obesity Offers Greater Benefits Than Waiting Until Adulthood 1024 575 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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scale

Research reveals that gastric bypass surgery during the teen years offers a greater chance of reversal of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure than when the surgery is delayed until adulthood.

Addressing Childhood Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Primary Care
 Addressing Childhood Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Primary Care 150 150 Jeb Phillips
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Primary care providers play an important role in recognizing the disorder and in providing a bridge to mental health care providers.

Suicide Attempts by Self-Poisoning Have More Than Doubled in Teens, Young Adults
 Suicide Attempts by Self-Poisoning Have More Than Doubled in Teens, Young Adults 1024 683 Katelyn Hanzel
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silhouette girl portrait

A new study from Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Central Ohio Poison Center found rates of suicide attempts by self-poisoning among adolescents have more than doubled in the last decade in the U.S., and more than tripled for girls and young women. The study, published online today in The Journal of Pediatrics, evaluated the incidence and…

Why Preteens in the ED Should be Screened for Suicide Risk
 Why Preteens in the ED Should be Screened for Suicide Risk 480 320 Kevin Mayhood
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Screening revealed that 7% of 10-to-12-year-olds who came to three children’s hospital emergency departments for medical complaints such as headache, back pain or seizures, were at risk for suicide, a recent study found. More than half of children in the same age group presenting to the emergency department with psychiatric complaints such as depression, violent…

Development of Innovative Scoring Systems for Sickness and Tissue Damage From Clostridium difficile Colitis
 Development of Innovative Scoring Systems for Sickness and Tissue Damage From Clostridium difficile Colitis 1024 575 Lauren Dembeck
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In a new publication, the team reported the development of two novel scoring systems to consistently and efficiently assess sickness and tissue injury during antibiotic-associated C. difficile colitis in a murine model. “My laboratory at Nationwide Children’s Research Institute has collaborated for several years with two other laboratories, those of Dr. Steven Goodman and Dr. Michael Bailey.…

Suicide Rates Spike Nationally Among Youth After “13 Reasons Why” Release
 Suicide Rates Spike Nationally Among Youth After “13 Reasons Why” Release 150 150 Gina Bericchia
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Media depictions of suicide should follow recommended guidelines to avoid harm. A recent study revealed approximately 195 more youth suicide deaths than expected were associated with the television series “13 Reasons Why” in the nine months immediately following the series release. The study, led by Nationwide Children’s Hospital with collaborators, demonstrated that following the series…