• Munro William posted an update 3 days, 13 hours ago

    Mortality rate and severe complications did not differ between thoracoscopic and conventional thoracic pediatric surgery, except for congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair with a lower mortality and higher recurrence rate after thoracoscopic repair. The most frequently reported disadvantage for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was longer operative time.

     The available data point toward improved recovery in pediatric video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery despite longer operative times. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to justify the widespread use of video assisted thoracoscopy in pediatric surgery.

     The available data point toward improved recovery in pediatric video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery despite longer operative times. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to justify the widespread use of video assisted thoracoscopy in pediatric surgery.

     We aimed to describe the prevalence of observable feeding difficulties during mealtimes among children with repaired esophageal atresia (EA) and to determine their early predictors.

     A survey, based on parents’ reports and concerning difficulties in EA children’s nutritional intake, was performed with the help of 114 families of 2 to 17-year-old EA patients. Neonatal and clinical/surgical data were collected from medical records. selleck chemical Comparisons were made of the prevalence

    (%) of feeding difficulties between children in three age groups (2 to 7 years, 8 to 12 years, or 13 to 17 years of age) using the Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test. Logistic regression identified outcome predictors (odds ratio 95% confidence interval). Predictors with

    ≤ 0.1 in the univariable analysis were included in multiple regression analysis (

     < 0.05).

     Seventy-five percent of the young children aged 2 to 7, (median number of feeding difficulties 2), 61% of school-aged children aged 8 to 12 (median number of feeding difficulties 1), and 60% patients in the teenage group, aged 13 to 17, (median number of feeding difficulties 1), reported feeding difficulties. Surgical complications after EA repair independently predicted children having a gastrostomy (

    ≤ 0.01), using a food infusion pump (

    ≤ 0.01), taking small portions to facilitate eating (

     = 0.01), and needing >30 minutes to finish a main meal (

     = 0.02). Congenital independent predictors were VACTERL, low birth weight, and preterm birth.

     Parentally observed feeding difficulties were commonly reported during early childhood, although prevalence decreases in older age groups. Several congenital and surgical factors were identified as independent predictors of complicated nutritional intake patterns.

     Parentally observed feeding difficulties were commonly reported during early childhood, although prevalence decreases in older age groups. Several congenital and surgical factors were identified as independent predictors of complicated nutritional intake patterns.

    Processes for delivery of high-risk infusions in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are complex. Standard concentration infusions (SCIs), smart-pumps, and electronic prescribing are recommended medication error reduction strategies. Implementation rates in Europe lag behind those in the United States. Since 2012, the PICU of an Irish tertiary pediatric hospital has been using a smart-pump SCI library, interfaced with electronic infusion orders (Philips ICCA). The incidence of infusion errors is unknown.

    To determine the frequency, severity, and distribution of smart-pump infusion errors in PICUs.

    Programmed infusions were directly observed at the bedside. Parameters were compared against medication orders and autodocumented infusion data. Identified deviations were categorized as medication errors or discrepancies. Error rates (%) were calculated as infusions with errors and errors per opportunities for error (OEs). Predefined definitions, multidisciplinary consensus and grading processes were emploality improvement opportunities has been identified.

    Improving outcomes of transplant recipients within and across transplant centers is important with the increasing number of organ transplantations being performed. The current practice is to analyze the outcomes based on patient level data submitted to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Augmenting the UNOS data with other sources such as the electronic health record will enrich the outcomes analysis, for which a common data model (CDM) can be a helpful tool for transforming heterogeneous source data into a uniform format.

    In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of representing concepts from the UNOS transplant registry forms with the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) CDM vocabulary to understand the content coverage of OMOP vocabulary on transplant-specific concepts.

    Two annotators manually mapped a total of 3,571 unique concepts extracted from the UNOS registry forms to concepts in the OMOP vocabulary. Concept mappings were evaluated by (1) examining the agreement among the initial two annotators and (2) investigating the number of UNOS concepts not mapped to a concept in the OMOP vocabulary and then classifying them. A subset of mappings was validated by clinicians.

    There was a substantial agreement between annotators with a kappa score of 0.71. We found that 55.5% of UNOS concepts could not be represented with OMOP standard concepts. The majority of unmapped UNOS concepts were categorized into transplant, measurement, condition, and procedure concepts.

    We identified categories of unmapped concepts and found that some transplant-specific concepts do not exist in the OMOP vocabulary. We suggest that adding these missing concepts to OMOP would facilitate further research in the transplant domain.

    We identified categories of unmapped concepts and found that some transplant-specific concepts do not exist in the OMOP vocabulary. We suggest that adding these missing concepts to OMOP would facilitate further research in the transplant domain.Balanced diet and regular physical activity are of key importance to the prevention of the development and progression of non-communicable diseases. In 2050, 50% of the European population is expected to be obese. Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, cancer, as well as joint impairments, will further increase. Therefore, programmes are critical to the improvement of the population’s health status in the long run. New ways have to be found that allow addressing more people than with the current approaches. Football has a great potential to attract people at risk for or with already existing non-communicable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, to participate in health-promoting programmes. The novel football version, walking football was developed for elderly players, aiming at avoiding injuries and physical overload. The present article gives a brief overview on the metabolic effects of recreational football, particularly walking football, as well as health-promoting programmes offered by professional football clubs in humans at risk for or with already existing non-communicable diseases.