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In Brief

Unraveling the Role of Pioneer Factors in Childhood Cancer
 Unraveling the Role of Pioneer Factors in Childhood Cancer 150 150 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller

New study implicates PAX3-FOXO1, an oncogenic driver of rhabdomyosarcoma, as a chimeric pioneer factor. Transcription factors are proteins that read the DNA sequences and can direct the transcription of that sequence into mRNA for translation into a protein. Transcription can become deregulated in cancer. Normally, transcription factors read sequences of DNA that are described as…

Cylinder Mitral Valve Construct is a Safe and Durable Alternative for Young Patients
 Cylinder Mitral Valve Construct is a Safe and Durable Alternative for Young Patients 1024 752 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD
Top-down view of heart valves

The new technique could potentially reduce the number of lifetime surgeries required by these patients, researchers say. In a new study, researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital report that pediatric patients who underwent cylinder mitral valve construct, a new technique for replacing the mitral valve, had improved left ventricular function over time. In addition, there were…

Robotic Surgery Is Here to Stay
 Robotic Surgery Is Here to Stay 150 150 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller

A recent publication describes increases in the use of robotic surgery in children’s hospitals across the country.  The use of robotic surgery in tertiary children’s hospitals has been on the rise since the 2000s. In a recent publication, researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital sought to characterize the use and growth in acceptance of robotic surgeries…

Molecular Toolset: Real-Time Screening for SARS-CoV-2 Variants
 Molecular Toolset: Real-Time Screening for SARS-CoV-2 Variants 1024 683 Lauren Dembeck
By: Lauren Dembeck
close up of a researcher with blue gloves inject liquid into vials.

Tracking variants of concern or interest is critical to inform public health decisions and to ensure patients receive the best available COVID-19 treatments for SARS-CoV-2 infections. Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and The Ohio State University (OSU) have developed a set of mutation-specific tests with same-day reporting that can detect five variants of concern (VOCs)…

EVALI and MIS-C: Overlapping Diagnoses
 EVALI and MIS-C: Overlapping Diagnoses 1024 575 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD

Taking a thorough history can differentiate these similarly presenting conditions. In a new report, researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital describe six patients admitted to the hospital with concerns for MIS-C who were later diagnosed with EVALI. The researchers discuss the factors that led them to differentiate between the two disorders and arrive at the correct…

An Alarming Connection Between Justice System Involvement and Child Health
 An Alarming Connection Between Justice System Involvement and Child Health 150 150 Jeb Phillips
By: Jeb Phillips

A first-of-its kind study finds that while only 2% of patients at a large children’s hospital are identified with likely personal or family involvement in the justice system, they account for large proportions of some troubling diagnoses. Research over the last decade has shown that young people who have been incarcerated can have poorer physical…

5 Things to Know About Vertebral Body Tethering for Scoliosis
 5 Things to Know About Vertebral Body Tethering for Scoliosis 150 150 Allan C. Beebe, MD and Crystal D. Seilhamer, FNP
By: Allan C. Beebe, MD and Crystal D. Seilhamer, FNP

As the surgical approach to scoliosis grows in popularity, understanding the pros, cons and contraindications becomes increasingly important. At the Center for Comprehensive Spine Care in the Department of Orthopedics at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, patients and providers are increasingly asking about vertebral body tethering for scoliosis. Traditionally, scoliosis is treated with a variety of modalities…

Improving Suicide Prevention by Examining Characteristics and Precipitating Circumstances Among Children Aged 5 to 11 Years
 Improving Suicide Prevention by Examining Characteristics and Precipitating Circumstances Among Children Aged 5 to 11 Years 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Suicides among children aged 11 or younger are on the rise. In response to this trend and a call to action by the National Institute of Mental Health task force on child suicide research, researchers have identified common themes across coroner’s and police reports on suicide deaths in this age group to identify warning signs…

Diabetes Distress Associated With Poor Glycemic Control in Adolescents With Diabetes
 Diabetes Distress Associated With Poor Glycemic Control in Adolescents With Diabetes 1024 683 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD
A young lady in a facility wearing a backpack and holding a notebook

Screening for diabetes distress, in addition to depression, could benefit adolescents with diabetes. Adolescents with type 1 diabetes are more likely to experience depression than their peers without diabetes, and symptoms of depression can directly impact adherence to diabetes care. Thus, both the American Diabetes Association and International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes recommend…

Lawnmower Injuries in Children Are Limb-Threatening and Avoidable
 Lawnmower Injuries in Children Are Limb-Threatening and Avoidable 1024 683 Ibrahim Khansa, MD
By: Ibrahim Khansa, MD

During the warm months, lawnmowers are a ubiquitous sight in American lawns. Unfortunately, more than 9,000 children are injured by lawnmowers every year in the United States. In a recent study, published in the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery – Open, our group from the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Nationwide…

Occurrence and Cost of Infections After Heart Transplant
 Occurrence and Cost of Infections After Heart Transplant 1024 683 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD
Dr. Emily Hayes

Researchers identify risk factors, long-term outcomes of vaccine-preventable infections following heart transplantation in pediatric patients. Recently, a study using the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database found that one in six pediatric solid organ transplant recipients were hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or vaccine-preventable illness in the first five years after transplant. Within this…

Providing Education and PrEP for Teens at Risk for HIV
 Providing Education and PrEP for Teens at Risk for HIV 1024 683 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller

In a recent PediaCast CME, Mike Patrick, MD, and Megan Brundrett, MD, share important information about offering PrEP and HIV-related education in your primary care practice. Listen to the Full Episode About 20% of new cases of HIV, the virus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), are occurring in youth aged 13 to 24. HIV/AIDS…

Unique Approach Helps Child Neurology Residents Improve Communication Skills
 Unique Approach Helps Child Neurology Residents Improve Communication Skills 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

More than 75% of residents said the opportunity to receive direct feedback from standardized patients, faculty and peers during simulated patient encounters was a valuable addition to their medical education. Teaching residents how to be sensitive, supportive, clear and thorough as they communicate complex information to patients and families is an essential part of medical…

Does Twinkle Artifact on Ultrasound Indicate a Kidney Stone in Pediatric Patients?
 Does Twinkle Artifact on Ultrasound Indicate a Kidney Stone in Pediatric Patients? 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD

The presence of twinkle artifact on ultrasound is a useful, though imperfect, tool for diagnosing kidney stones in children. For pediatric patients, ultrasound is the recommended imaging modality used to diagnose kidney stones. Several findings are used to identify stones on ultrasound, including the presence of an echogenic focus, posterior acoustic shadowing, or twinkle artifact.…

Understanding the Social Neural Network
 Understanding the Social Neural Network 1024 575 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
Young boy turned sideways in front of a dark background, with dark lighting and an illustration of his brain appearing in front of the side of his head

Neuroimaging of participants with and without epilepsy allows researchers to explore the neural networks associated with social skills. Epilepsy is a chronic brain disease characterized by neural network dysfunction and seizures. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 470,000 children in the United States had active epilepsy in 2015. These children are more likely…

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: Characterizing the Chronic Lung Disease of Prematurity
 Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: Characterizing the Chronic Lung Disease of Prematurity 1024 575 Lauren Dembeck
By: Lauren Dembeck
Nurse caring for infant in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

  Precise definitions and/or classifications of bronchopulmonary dysplasia are needed to optimize outcomes. Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital are continuing to help refine the definition of severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (sBPD). In a recent study, members of the BPD Collaborative demonstrated that preterm infants with sBPD who were on invasive mechanical ventilation at 36 weeks, a…

Diuretic Therapy in Preterm Infants With Acute Kidney Injury Is Common: Should It Be?
 Diuretic Therapy in Preterm Infants With Acute Kidney Injury Is Common: Should It Be? 1024 575 Lauren Dembeck
By: Lauren Dembeck
small baby with nose canula

Lack of efficacy and safety data on diuretic therapy in the critically ill infants is cause for concern. Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital are beginning to fill in the gaps. Despite the common use of diuretic therapy in preterm infants with acute kidney injury, to date, no large studies have evaluated the patterns of prescription…

Chronic Pediatric Pancreatitis and (No) Persistent Belly Pain
 Chronic Pediatric Pancreatitis and (No) Persistent Belly Pain 1024 575 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
By: Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
Color photograph of a young child seated on a light gray couch. The child has long blond hair styled in pigtails with pink flower hair clips and is wearing a bright pink sweatshirt. The child is facing the camera with a neutral expression. The background is softly lit and uncluttered, with the couch filling most of the frame.

Underlying — even silent — chronic pancreatitis can be at play in children without previous acute pancreatitis episodes, including among children with little or no reported pain. Pancreatitis in children is rare (about 3-13 per 100,000 people per year), but diagnosis is increasing, at least in part due to increased awareness among physicians. The path…

Understanding Black Youth Suicide: Steps Toward Prevention
 Understanding Black Youth Suicide: Steps Toward Prevention 1024 596 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller

To understand the how and why of rising rates of Black youth suicide, researchers call for a ‘Ground Zero’ approach. In December 2019, the Congressional Black Caucus released the statement “Ring the Alarm: The Crisis of Black Youth Suicide in America.” The statement focused on rising suicide rates among Black youth in the United States.…

“Left Behind Again:” Rural Children Enrolled in Medicaid Use Home Health Services Far Less Than Urban Children
 “Left Behind Again:” Rural Children Enrolled in Medicaid Use Home Health Services Far Less Than Urban Children 1024 575 Jeb Phillips
By: Jeb Phillips
photo of an empty rural road with an empty blue sky, trees in the background and green grass around the road

Data from a pediatric accountable care organization is allowing physicians and researchers to explore the rural-urban health care gap. While it’s long been clear that children in rural areas have reduced access to some kinds of health care services compared to their urban peers, understanding the specifics of the care gap has proven difficult, because…

Study Highlights Relationship Between SI Gene and Chronic, Idiopathic Loose Stool in Some Children
 Study Highlights Relationship Between SI Gene and Chronic, Idiopathic Loose Stool in Some Children 1024 680 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller
Close up color photo of little boy holding hands on his belly

Researchers conducted one of the largest prospective, multicenter trials in pediatrics looking at the connection between SI variants and common gastrointestinal symptoms. The SI gene codes for the sucrase-isomaltase enzyme, which is expressed in the intestinal brush border. This enzyme is important to the digestion of sucrose, and without it, maldigestion and poor absorption of…

9 Facts About the COVID-19 Vaccine
 9 Facts About the COVID-19 Vaccine 1024 683 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In the United States, three vaccines are approved for emergency use, those produced by Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (J&J). These vaccines dramatically reduce your risk of getting severely ill or dying from COVID-19. The vaccines are also being shown to reduce the spread of…

Surgical Management of Recurrent Patellar Instability in the Pediatric Population
 Surgical Management of Recurrent Patellar Instability in the Pediatric Population 1024 575 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD
Dr. Kevin Klingele wearing scrubs in the middle of surgery

Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction via the quadriceps turndown technique is safe and effective in young patients. In a new study, researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the quadriceps turndown technique for medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction in pediatric and adolescent patients. Patellar instability is a common knee condition in children and…

Antibodies to Spinal Muscular Atrophy Gene Therapy Vector May Dissipate, Allowing More Children to Receive Treatment
 Antibodies to Spinal Muscular Atrophy Gene Therapy Vector May Dissipate, Allowing More Children to Receive Treatment 1024 681 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
By: Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
sleeping infant

A review of antibody titers for SMA patients revealed that levels may decrease with time, potentially enabling delayed dosing for children who otherwise might have been excluded from life-saving gene therapy. Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors are used to deliver gene therapies such as onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi (ZOLGENSMA®), a recently approved gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy…

Keeping in Touch: Renin-Producing Cells Require Cell Adhesion Molecule to Survive
 Keeping in Touch: Renin-Producing Cells Require Cell Adhesion Molecule to Survive 1024 575 Lauren Dembeck
By: Lauren Dembeck
Medical Illustration of a kidney

Uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system may provide insights into the long-term effects of hypertension and antihypertensive medications.  As the main source of renin in the human body, juxtaglomerular (JG) cells are crucial for blood pressure and fluid-electrolyte homeostasis. However, these cells cannot be cultured in vitro, making it challenging to study the…

The Sound of Silence: The Impact of “Silent” Genetic Variation in Health and Disease
 The Sound of Silence: The Impact of “Silent” Genetic Variation in Health and Disease 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
By: Lauren Dembeck

Despite widespread scientific interest in messenger RNA (mRNA) structure, its role in human health and disease remains poorly understood. Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital have developed novel software and metrics to identify “silent” genetic variants that affect mRNA folding and may underlie rare genetic disorders. Historically, synonymous or “silent” genetic variants — those in protein-coding…

Pediatric Acute Care Cardiology Collaborative: Shared Focus on Quality to Improve Outcomes and Family Experiences
 Pediatric Acute Care Cardiology Collaborative: Shared Focus on Quality to Improve Outcomes and Family Experiences 1024 575 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
By: Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
Illustration of heart, CAVD

The PAC3 has released three recent studies describing care practices and outcomes across member institutions in an effort to drive improved care. Established in 2014 with the aim of improving acute care outcomes and experience among pediatric cardiology patients, families, clinicians and hospitals, the Pediatric Acute Care Cardiology Collaborative (PAC3) has started to deliver on…

Unraveling Intractable Functional Constipation: Manometries Are Still the Gold Standard
 Unraveling Intractable Functional Constipation: Manometries Are Still the Gold Standard 1024 680 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
Close up color photo of little boy holding hands on his belly

Cine-MRI recordings can’t replace colonic manometries when assessing motility among children with functional constipation, but they may offer additional information. And conducting both MRIs and manometries simultaneously is feasible. While functional constipation (FC) is common in childhood, and most children who experience it respond well to behavioral interventions or treatment with laxatives, some children continue…

Indicators of Blood Clot Potential Directly Relate to Nephrotic Syndrome Severity
 Indicators of Blood Clot Potential Directly Relate to Nephrotic Syndrome Severity 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
By: Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES

Researchers in the NEPTUNE network and collaborators at Nationwide Children’s Hospital have confirmed their preclinical studies demonstrating a direct correlation between the severity of disease and prothrombotic biomarkers in patients with nephrotic syndrome. Nephrotic syndrome (NS) dramatically increases the risk of a life-threatening blood clot, but until recently, clinicians have had no reasonable biomarker to…

The First Opioid-Prescribing Guidelines for Children Who Require Surgery
 The First Opioid-Prescribing Guidelines for Children Who Require Surgery 1024 573 Lauren Dembeck
By: Lauren Dembeck

Providers should recognize the risks of opioids, maximize nonopioid regimens, and educate families appropriately. The first opioid-prescribing guidelines to address the unique needs of children who require surgery have been published by an expert panel in JAMA Surgery. The new guidelines aim to help health care professionals caring for children and adolescents in the perioperative…

Pediatricians Offer Valuable Oral Health Services for the Very Young, Before and Throughout Pandemic
 Pediatricians Offer Valuable Oral Health Services for the Very Young, Before and Throughout Pandemic 1024 680 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
By: Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
toddler brushing teeth

Medical professionals see very young children much more frequently during the first several years of life than dentists, and many states’ Medicaid programs have seized the opportunity to reimburse pediatricians for preventive oral care, such as fluoride application and oral hygiene education. Despite reimbursement options and national guidelines recommending dental care begin by age 1,…

Even Severe Asthma Can Improve if Guidelines Are Followed
 Even Severe Asthma Can Improve if Guidelines Are Followed 1024 683 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD

Patients treated with adequate medications and asthma family education can significantly improve irrespective of asthma severity. Severe asthma accounts for 5-8% of patients with asthma, but this group is more challenging to treat and is responsible for up to 40% of total asthma-care expenses. The majority of patients with severe asthma have difficult-to-treat asthma (in…

Global Study Highlights Antibiotic Overuse in the NICU
 Global Study Highlights Antibiotic Overuse in the NICU 1024 683 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller
Baby in NICU

Antimicrobial stewardship programs were associated with lower antibiotic use, regardless of the country’s income level. Excessive antibiotic use among infants born preterm in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) is associated with poor patient outcomes, such as sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and others, and contributes to the emergence of multi-drug resistant microbes. A new…

Can Neurocognitive Functioning Tests Help Predict Future Suicide Attempts?
 Can Neurocognitive Functioning Tests Help Predict Future Suicide Attempts? 1024 683 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD
Sad black teenage girl

Researchers identify sex-specific deficits in measures of working memory and affective processing associated with suicidal behavior in youth with depression. To prevent youth suicide, researchers are working to identify factors associated with suicide attempts in adolescents at elevated risk for suicidal behavior. In a new study, researchers from Nationwide Children’s examined neurocognitive functioning in suicidal…

Lower Traffic Volumes During COVID-19 Shut-Downs Lead to Fewer Injuries
 Lower Traffic Volumes During COVID-19 Shut-Downs Lead to Fewer Injuries 1024 683 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner
Teen driving a car

To minimize transmission of COVID-19, in spring 2020, most U.S. states passed policies promoting social distancing through stay-at-home orders prohibiting non-essential travel. While vehicle-miles traveled in the United States decreased by 41% in April 2020 compared to 2019, the effect of this mobility decrease on motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) is poorly understood. Motao (Matt) Zhu,…

Innovative Biostatistical Methodology for Causal Evaluation of Medical Treatments
 Innovative Biostatistical Methodology for Causal Evaluation of Medical Treatments 150 150 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

Medical records are readily available nowadays, but using medical records to evaluate medical treatments is full of challenges. Henry Xiang, MD, MPH, PhD, professor of medicine and principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy, collaborated with biostatisticians from The Ohio State University College of Public Health to develop a novel statistical method…

Calls to Poison Centers About High-Powered Magnets Increased by 444% After Ban Lifts
 Calls to Poison Centers About High-Powered Magnets Increased by 444% After Ban Lifts 1024 521 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner
cube made of ball magnets in the palm of a hand

High-powered magnets are small, shiny and made from powerful rare earth metals. Since they started showing up in children’s toys in the early 2000s and then later in desk sets in 2009, high-powered magnets have caused thousands of injuries and are considered to be among the most dangerous ingestion hazards in children. When more than one…

Long-Term Treatment of Pediatric Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy with Pulse Oral Corticosteroid Therapy
 Long-Term Treatment of Pediatric Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy with Pulse Oral Corticosteroid Therapy 150 150 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
By: JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM

Pediatric patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy can benefit from the safety and effectiveness of long-term pulse oral corticosteroid therapy. Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) affects the peripheral nervous system in children, causing weakness, sensory loss and depressed tendon reflexes. Pediatric patients with this rare, immune-mediated disease often undergo years of immunomodulatory therapy, with the…

Girls’ Perineal Microbiomes Change Over Development, After Urinary Tract Infection
 Girls’ Perineal Microbiomes Change Over Development, After Urinary Tract Infection 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD

Next-generation sequencing reveals different flora associated with developmental milestones in girls, as well as disruptions in patients with a history of urinary tract infection. In a new pilot study, researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital evaluated the microbiomes of girls at specific developmental timepoints. They found shifts in the perineal microbiome corresponding with important developmental milestones,…

Immersive Virtual Reality-Based Training Improves Empathy Among Health Care Providers
 Immersive Virtual Reality-Based Training Improves Empathy Among Health Care Providers 414 224 Lauren Dembeck
By: Lauren Dembeck

A novel VR-based training program helps providers develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes to understand how social determinants of health affect patients and how to mitigate their effects. Researchers recently reported their novel virtual reality (VR)-based empathy training program, Making Professionals Able THrough Immersion (MPATHI), improved knowledge, skills, and attitudes of health care providers for care…

No More Sitting in the Dark?
 No More Sitting in the Dark? 1024 728 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

A new study from the Center for Injury Research and Policy, Sports Medicine and Emergency Medicine is the first to document objectively self-paced physical and cognitive activity post-concussion among youth. The results suggest they may be able to engage in physical and cognitive activity as soon as tolerated post-concussion. Clinical guidelines for managing concussion in…

Modifying NK Cells With CRISPR/Cas9
 Modifying NK Cells With CRISPR/Cas9 969 533 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD
Illustration of NK Cells, T Cells, other immune cells floating across white background

A proof-of-concept study shows success in modifying NK cells for multiple myeloma. In a new proof-of-concept study, researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to genetically modify natural killer immune cells, which they then showed are able to address a recognized hurdle in immunotherapy of multiple myeloma. “It was an amazing feeling when we…

A Quick and Reliable Method to Determine The Time to Full Weight Bearing in Patients Undergoing Intramedullary Limb Lengthening
 A Quick and Reliable Method to Determine The Time to Full Weight Bearing in Patients Undergoing Intramedullary Limb Lengthening 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
By: Lauren Dembeck

A new method to objectively measure bone healing may help the patient with an intramedullary lengthening nail make strides to full weight bearing status. Intramedullary limb lengthening is indicated for the treatment of limb length discrepancy and short stature. Traditionally, the procedure was done using external fixators, which must remain on the patient’s limb for…

No Evidence Supporting Prophylactic Indomethacin Treatment for Most Preterm Infants
 No Evidence Supporting Prophylactic Indomethacin Treatment for Most Preterm Infants 1024 575 Lauren Dembeck
By: Lauren Dembeck
Nurse caring for infant in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Inconsistency among studies prompted researchers to take a closer look at the drug’s effects. Despite limited evidence supporting its use, prophylactic indomethacin treatment is often administered to very preterm infants within the first 24-hours after birth to reduce the risks of intraventricular hemorrhage and longer-term neonatal morbidities, such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Data from a…

Investigating Youth Suicides Among Children Involved With the Welfare System
 Investigating Youth Suicides Among Children Involved With the Welfare System 1024 683 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
silhouette girl portrait

Youth with child welfare involvement are at an elevated risk for suicide but may benefit from suicide prevention interventions targeting health care settings and family-preservation. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 5 to 21 years in the United States. Between 2010 and 2019, suicide rates among this group increased 40%.…

Incidence and Impact of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
 Incidence and Impact of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome 150 150 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller

While incidence of severe kidney injury after surgery for hypoplastic left heart syndrome is low, it may be linked to increased 30-day mortality. Acute kidney injury – the abrupt decline of renal function – following pediatric heart surgery leads to worse outcomes, including increased mortality. The overall incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) after pediatric…

Novel Nitric Oxide-Mediated Mechanism Facilitates Calcific Aortic Valve Disease
 Novel Nitric Oxide-Mediated Mechanism Facilitates Calcific Aortic Valve Disease 1024 752 Lauren Dembeck
By: Lauren Dembeck
Top-down view of heart valves

The novel pathway could be targeted to prevent or reverse aortic valve calcification in humans. Researchers have recently described a novel nitric oxide-mediated mechanism in calcific aortic valve disease that involves the ubiqutin-proteasome pathway, and its modulation in animal models was shown to cause aortic valve calcification. The pathway could potentially be modulated to prevent…

Natural Progression of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy for Boys Taking Long-Term Steroid Therapy
 Natural Progression of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy for Boys Taking Long-Term Steroid Therapy 1024 575 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD
boy with muscular dystrophy completing walk test

New data define expected motor performance at different ages and will help in clinical trial design and interpretation. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a devastating diagnosis, but there are many potential treatments in various stages of development. Clinical trials now target boys with DMD who are 4-8 years old, as it appears that early intervention…

Inverse Relationship Between Age and Dose of Blood Thinners for Children
 Inverse Relationship Between Age and Dose of Blood Thinners for Children 1024 495 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
blood cells

Infants and young children require higher doses of enoxaparin to treat blood clots than do older children. A blood clot, or thrombosis, isn’t a common problem in children, but it can be a dangerous one. Without proper treatment, a thrombosis can cause a host of long-term problems up to and including permanent damage to patients’…

Neurodevelopmental Trajectory in Infants With Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome
 Neurodevelopmental Trajectory in Infants With Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD

Infants exposed to opioids in utero begin showing cognitive and language deficits in their second year. In a new study, researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital report the neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants with pharmacologically treated neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS, formerly called neonatal abstinence syndrome, or NAS) through 2 years of age. The results showed that…