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In Brief

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
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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
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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
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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
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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 1024 575 Lauren Dembeck
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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 1024 575 Mary Bates, PhD
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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…

Increasing the Use of the Teach-Back Method in Asthma Education
 Increasing the Use of the Teach-Back Method in Asthma Education 1024 575 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
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Lisa Ulrich standing in hospital hallway

A standardized approach to asthma education using the teach-back method helps respiratory therapists effectively address common issues with asthma management in pediatric patients. For the 8% of children and adults in the United States who have asthma, effective asthma education is essential to adequate disease management. Unfortunately, written asthma action plans (AAP) alone may be…

More Data on Rare GI Diseases, With Less Work
 More Data on Rare GI Diseases, With Less Work 1024 535 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Collage of health technology tools

Electronic health record systems can drive knowledge acquisition in rare gastrointestinal conditions — and other orphan diseases — without the burden of duplicative data entry. Rare diseases often remain poorly understood and inefficiently treated due to a lack of objective knowledge on their natural history, pathophysiology or clinical outcomes in response to various therapies. Collecting…

What Puts Adolescent Patients With IBD at Risk for Suboptimal Transitions?
 What Puts Adolescent Patients With IBD at Risk for Suboptimal Transitions? 1024 673 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
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Psychosocial-related factors, such as mental health diagnoses and public insurance, have been shown to increase the risk of suboptimal transitions in adolescent patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Between ages 18 and 22, adolescent patients transition from pediatric to adult care. Ideally, at the time of transition, patients have the skills to manage their disease and…

Does Psychosocial Functioning Differ Among Children With and Without Differences of Sex Development?
 Does Psychosocial Functioning Differ Among Children With and Without Differences of Sex Development? 1024 575 Lauren Dembeck
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Parent and child holding hands

A multidisciplinary team of researchers recently found that children with differences of sex development (DSD) appear to be at greater risk for psychosocial problems relative to children with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) and unaffected peers. The study, which was published in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, highlights the increased need for integrated interdisciplinary care with…

Novel Genetic Driver Discovered for Pediatric Meningiomas Using Molecular Profiling
 Novel Genetic Driver Discovered for Pediatric Meningiomas Using Molecular Profiling 1024 575 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Researchers have uncovered a rare subset of meningiomas with a genetic driver shared by another cancer type, opening the door to new therapeutic considerations. When an interesting or intractable cancer case arises at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, researchers and clinicians involved in the Brain Tumor Protocol through The Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine…

Study Shows That When Housing Quality is Poor, Children Suffer
 Study Shows That When Housing Quality is Poor, Children Suffer 1024 575 Jeb Phillips
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two houses: one in poor repair, one in good repair

Holes in floors, cracks in walls, plumbing issues and/or problems with pests are linked with overall poorer pediatric health and higher health care use in a nationally representative study. Housing instability and homelessness are widely understood to have an impact on health, and certain housing problems have been linked to specific childhood health conditions, such…

Pediatric Kidney Care: A Complex Issue for Low-Resource Nations
 Pediatric Kidney Care: A Complex Issue for Low-Resource Nations 1024 575 Eric Butterman
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Children are dying from kidney disease at alarming rates in low-resource nations. And some procedures that could reduce this high mortality would be considered simple and low-cost for many countries, says William Smoyer, MD, vice president and director of the Center for Clinical and Translational Research in the Abigail Wexner Research Institute (AWRI) at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Dr.…

Determining the Probability of a Sequential Slipped Hip
 Determining the Probability of a Sequential Slipped Hip 1024 683 Mary Bates, PhD
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Kevin Klingele, MD

A new predictive tool offers an objective method to help guide treatment in patients with unilateral slipped capital femoral epiphysis. In a recent study, researchers at Nationwide Children’s developed a scoring system based on radiological findings to predict sequential hip involvement in patients with unilateral slipped capital femoral epiphysis. They hope this predictive tool will help…

Batten Disease Experts Publish Common Key Practices For Enzyme Replacement Therapy
 Batten Disease Experts Publish Common Key Practices For Enzyme Replacement Therapy 1024 683 Lauren Dembeck
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Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 disease is a rare, rapidly-progressing, neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder caused by tripeptidyl peptidase 1 deficiency. This form of Batten disease has an onset between two to four years of age. Children with CLN2 disease may experience intractable epilepsy, progressive cognitive and motor decline, and loss of vision. Historically, most children…

CLABSI in Hematology and Oncology: Progress Toward Zero
 CLABSI in Hematology and Oncology: Progress Toward Zero 1024 576 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Blood cells

A thorough review of five years of CLABSI data reveals key gaps in clinical knowledge that must be addressed to further reduce infection rates. For some time, any bloodstream infection (BSI) in a patient with a central venous catheter was considered a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI). In 2013, refined definitions enabled a distinction between…

Polysomnography in Infants: How Much Total Sleep Time is Really Needed?
 Polysomnography in Infants: How Much Total Sleep Time is Really Needed? 1024 575 Abbie Miller
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small baby with nose canula

Study identifies factors affecting total sleep time and suggests shorter sleep times can be effective for accurate interpretation and clinical decision making. In a recent study published in American Journal of Perinatology, experts from Nationwide Children’s Hospital investigated factors that affect total sleep time(TST) during infant polysomnography (PSG) in an effort to determine how much TST is…

Novel Roles of the Urothelium in the Development of Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract
 Novel Roles of the Urothelium in the Development of Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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In addition to genetic defects, interactions of the developing urothelium with its underlying mesenchyme and superficial plaque may contribute to congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract. Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUTs) are the leading cause of chronic and end-stage kidney disease in children. Collaborative translational research at Nationwide Children’s…

Risk Stratification in Infants With Primary Pulmonary Vein Stenosis
 Risk Stratification in Infants With Primary Pulmonary Vein Stenosis 1024 681 Mary Bates, PhD
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sleeping infant

Categorizing infants with pulmonary vein stenosis into stable and progressive groups could help inform treatment. Primary pulmonary vein stenosis is a rare, often lethal, cardiac disease. It is challenging to treat, as the disease can be progressive in some patients but not others. In a new study, researchers from Nationwide Children’s describe outcomes among preterm infants…

Early Intervention is Key to Avoid Hospitalization for Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome
 Early Intervention is Key to Avoid Hospitalization for Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome 1024 683 Mary Bates, PhD
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Health care provider talking to male teen patient

Study finds that waiting to go to the emergency department for treatment increases likelihood of hospitalization. Cyclic vomiting syndrome is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by periodic episodes of intense nausea and vomiting lasting hours to days. During episodes, some children become very sick and require emergency department care and hospitalization to manage symptoms and…

Boosting Natural Killer Cells for the Treatment of COVID-19
 Boosting Natural Killer Cells for the Treatment of COVID-19 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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Natural killer cells — critical for immune surveillance and host defense — have an important role in cancer immunotherapy and antiviral responses. While driving to the laboratory one day, Brian Tullius, MA, MD, a fourth-year bone marrow transplant and cell therapies fellow at Nationwide Children’s in the Lee Lab, had an epiphany. “I thought, ‘wait…

How Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Measles Vaccination Rates?
 How Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Measles Vaccination Rates? 1024 575 Mary Bates, PhD
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Toddler playing with toys

Researchers are concerned about declining vaccination rates in the Nationwide Children’s Hospital pediatric primary care network. One consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic is that more families are putting off their children’s preventive care visits, causing pediatric providers to worry about missed vaccines. In a recent study published in Pediatrics, researchers at Nationwide Children’s evaluated changes in…

An Imbalance of Immune Cells Leads to Kidney Scarring After Infection
 An Imbalance of Immune Cells Leads to Kidney Scarring After Infection 1024 732 Mary Bates, PhD
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In a preclinical mouse model, researchers identify the immune cell balancing act that determines whether renal scarring will occur following kidney infection More than half of urinary tract infections in children spread from the bladder to the kidneys, causing acute kidney infections that can lead to renal scarring. Renal scarring can have serious repercussions in…

Taking on Bronchiolitis in the Age of COVID-19
 Taking on Bronchiolitis in the Age of COVID-19 1024 575 Eric Butterman
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small baby with nose canula

In a recent episode of PediaCast CME, Drs. Asuncion Mejias and Gerd McGwire address the diagnosis and management of bronchiolitis – and special considerations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bronchiolitis is the leading cause of hospitalizations for young infants around the world, and in a year with a respiratory pandemic, everyone is a little uneasy about…

Do Surgical Outcomes Differ Between Minimally Invasive Pyeloplasty Procedures in Treating Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction?
 Do Surgical Outcomes Differ Between Minimally Invasive Pyeloplasty Procedures in Treating Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction? 1024 575 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
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Dr. Jayanthi standing in OR

Minimally invasive pyeloplasty has become increasingly popular over open dismembered pyeloplasty, the traditional treatment for ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Robotic-assisted pyeloplasty (RALP) and laparoscopic pyeloplasty (LP) are minimally invasive procedures that produce smaller scars and less postoperative pain. These are advantages that appeal to parents of patients undergoing these procedures. In a recent Journal of Pediatric Urology publication, Rama…

How Have Respiratory Outcomes Changed With New Spinal Muscular Atrophy Treatments?
 How Have Respiratory Outcomes Changed With New Spinal Muscular Atrophy Treatments? 1024 575 Mary Bates, PhD
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Illustration of lungs on blue silhouette of upper chest on black background

Three new therapies are changing the prognosis for spinal muscular atrophy, but long-term monitoring of respiratory outcomes is still necessary.

Reinforcing Education for Adrenal Insufficiency Self-Management Improves Patient Outcomes
 Reinforcing Education for Adrenal Insufficiency Self-Management Improves Patient Outcomes 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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Patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI) receiving daily maintenance corticosteroid replacement therapy may develop signs and symptoms of AI when encountered with physical stress events, such as fever, infection, pain from injury or surgery. Patient education on stress dosing of hydrocortisone at the time of illness or injury is essential to prevent adrenal crisis, a life-threatening…

Cerebral Organoids Provide Insight into Human Brain Development and Neurological Disease
 Cerebral Organoids Provide Insight into Human Brain Development and Neurological Disease 1024 575 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
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microscopic image of brain organoid

Correlations between the neuroelectrical maturation and cellular development of cerebral organoids highlight the organoids’ translational and therapeutical potential in early neurodevelopmental disorders. Cerebral organoids are three-dimensional miniature organs that resemble the human brain. Derived from human pluripotent stem cells, cerebral organoids have emerged to advance stem cell research, improve three-dimensional tissue culture techniques and enhance…

Reducing Opioid-Induced Constipation in Patients After Orthopedic Spine Surgery
 Reducing Opioid-Induced Constipation in Patients After Orthopedic Spine Surgery 1024 575 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
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Julie Samora, MD

In pediatric patients undergoing orthopedic spine surgery, a step-wise bowel management plan can effectively reduce opioid-induced constipation and unplanned emergency department visits after surgery. Orthopedic spine surgery can generate pain in the immediate post-surgery period. Opioids are needed to mitigate this pain but commonly cause constipation and other gastrointestinal side effects. Opioid-induced constipation causes abdominal…

Transplant-Free Survival Among Children With Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Undergoing Hybrid Palliation
 Transplant-Free Survival Among Children With Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Undergoing Hybrid Palliation 1024 683 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Young child

The first long-term evaluation of kids with hypoplastic left heart syndrome undergoing hybrid palliation procedures finds transplant-free survival similar to that of the standard treatment at age 15 years. As one of the few teams in the world almost exclusively performing hybrid palliation surgery for babies with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and related congenital…

Does Low Baseline Renal Volume Lead to Renal Insufficiency in Children With Cloacal Anomalies?
 Does Low Baseline Renal Volume Lead to Renal Insufficiency in Children With Cloacal Anomalies? 1024 683 Lauren Dembeck
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According to the results of a recent study published in Urology, children with cloacal anomalies have baseline renal volumes similar to those of children without cloacal anomalies, indicating that the increased risk of renal insufficiency in children with cloacal anomalies appears to be due to postnatal renal injury. “Before we can determine if surgical interventions or…

Prematurity and Genomics: Can Complications For a Baby Born Preterm Be Predicted?
 Prematurity and Genomics: Can Complications For a Baby Born Preterm Be Predicted? 1024 575 Eric Butterman
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conceptual art of DNA

Complications from being born preterm are the number one cause of death in the world for children under the age of five, says Leif Nelin, MD, division chief of Neonatology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University . But why do some babies born preterm develop complications while many others seem…

What Are the Clinical Implications of Crescentic Glomerulonephritis?
 What Are the Clinical Implications of Crescentic Glomerulonephritis? 1024 732 Abbie Miller
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The Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium’s most recent study investigates the risk factors for disease progression in children with glomerulonephritis and crescents on kidney biopsy. In patients with glomerulonephritis (GN), the histopathology of the kidney may include crescents, which result from extra-capillary proliferation of cells within the glomerulus. A recent study from the Pediatric Nephrology Research…

Can Smartphone Apps Keep AYA Oncology Patients Plugged in to Their Medication Routines?
 Can Smartphone Apps Keep AYA Oncology Patients Plugged in to Their Medication Routines? 1024 684 Natalie Wilson
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teen girl using cell phone

Studies show that suboptimal medication adherence may be a barrier to increased survival rates among adolescents and young adults with cancer. Anthony Audino, MD, explores the utility of medication adherence apps to meet the unique needs of these patients. The incidence of cancer among adolescents and young adults (AYA), or those 15-39 years old, has…

Fatty Acid Supplements May Improve Social and Emotional Wellbeing Even in Toddlers
 Fatty Acid Supplements May Improve Social and Emotional Wellbeing Even in Toddlers 150 150 Natalie Wilson
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Children who were given supplements of Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid that serves as an important building block in babies’ developing brains, were less likely to meet the threshold on a test that determines whether they should be further evaluated for Autism Spectrum Disorder. When children are born prematurely, they miss the opportunity…

Exploring the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Pediatric Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders
 Exploring the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Pediatric Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders 1024 680 Mary Bates, PhD
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Close up color photo of little boy holding hands on his belly

A survey finds most children with functional abdominal pain disorders use at least one form of complementary and alternative medicine. Functional abdominal pain disorders, which include functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome and abdominal migraine, are influenced by both biological and psychosocial factors. The underlying mechanisms are complex and largely unknown, making treatment challenging. Researchers from…

Probiotics are Safe and Feasible for Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorders
 Probiotics are Safe and Feasible for Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorders 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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A pilot trial found a trend toward improvements in quality of life in patients treated with probiotics. Gastrointestinal disorders and anxiety symptoms are commonly reported in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recent research in rodent models and neurotypical humans has demonstrated that changing the gut microbiota can improve gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. Some studies even…

Measuring the Progression of CF in School-Aged Children
 Measuring the Progression of CF in School-Aged Children 1024 575 Abbie Miller
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Illustration of lungs on blue silhouette of upper chest on black background

A multicenter study utilized chest computed tomography and lung function tests taken repeatedly over two years in school-aged children with mild cystic fibrosis. Understanding disease progression in chronic illnesses is important to managing patients and improving outcomes. For children with cystic fibrosis, it can be difficult to predict how long it will take for negative…

Comprehensive Type 1 Diabetes Wellness Score to Help Patients and Providers
 Comprehensive Type 1 Diabetes Wellness Score to Help Patients and Providers 1024 683 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Device for monitoring glucose placed on girl's arm

A quality improvement effort resulted in the first-known composite score to track multiple clinical indicators of diabetes-related health in patients with Type 1. Despite the traditional use of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) as the standard metric for diabetes control, it has its shortcomings, such as an incomplete picture of blood sugar variability and hypoglycemia risk. To…

Increases in Number and Severity of Suicide-Related Calls to U.S. Poison Control Centers Involving Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
 Increases in Number and Severity of Suicide-Related Calls to U.S. Poison Control Centers Involving Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers 1024 575 Laura Dattner
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Teen girl with backpack

Experts call for increased regulation, prevention efforts. Over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) have long been a staple in households for managing pain, fevers and other common ailments. However, the accessibility of these medications can make them easy to take in dangerous amounts. In a new study, researchers at the Center…

Updated Guidance on Oral Food Challenges
 Updated Guidance on Oral Food Challenges 1024 575 Mary Bates, PhD
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New report offers guidelines and examples for safely performing oral food challenges in clinical practice. Oral food challenges are integral for allergists to diagnose food allergies. In 2009, the Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee within the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology published a report providing guidance for safely conducting an oral food challenge.…

Findings Show TEVG Stenosis Spontaneously Resolves
 Findings Show TEVG Stenosis Spontaneously Resolves 600 400 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Tissue engineered vascular graft

The complication that halted a clinical trial for tissue-engineered vascular grafts for children with congenital heart disease may reverse spontaneously without clinical complications. Based on promising laboratory and animal modeling of a biodegradable scaffold seeded with a patient’s own cells, a clinician-scientist research team now based at Nationwide Children’s Hospital initiated a pediatric tissue engineered…

Diagnosing Adolescent Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
 Diagnosing Adolescent Polycystic Ovary Syndrome 1024 673 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
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New adolescent-specific guidelines provide more precise guidance on diagnosing polycystic ovary syndrome in adolescent females. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common female reproductive endocrine disorder, presents diagnostic challenges in adolescents, highlighting the need for adolescent-specific diagnostic guidelines for PCOS. “We can’t use the adult criteria for diagnosing adolescent PCOS,” says Andrea Bonny, MD, section chief…

Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Pediatric Cancer Research
 Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Pediatric Cancer Research 1024 575 Lauren Dembeck
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Times of uncertainty offer an opportunity to reflect and reevaluate priorities. “This is a time that warrants resiliency and different approaches for dealing with difficulties, and pediatric cancer research is a field that reflects the resilient spirit of the kids that we are striving to find cures for,” says Jeffery Auletta, MD, director of the Blood…