scholarly journals Shunting outcomes in posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus: results of a Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network prospective cohort study

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Wellons ◽  
Chevis N. Shannon ◽  
Richard Holubkov ◽  
Jay Riva-Cambrin ◽  
Abhaya V. Kulkarni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Clinical Research ◽  
Prospective Cohort Study ◽  
Premature Infants ◽  
Prospective Cohort ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Complication Rates ◽  
High Grade ◽  
Clinical Research Network

OBJECTIVEPrevious Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (HCRN) retrospective studies have shown a 15% difference in rates of conversion to permanent shunts with the use of ventriculosubgaleal shunts (VSGSs) versus ventricular reservoirs (VRs) as temporization procedures in the treatment of hydrocephalus due to high-grade intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) of prematurity. Further research in the same study line revealed a strong influence of center-specific decision-making on shunt outcomes. The primary goal of this prospective study was to standardize decision-making across centers to determine true procedural superiority, if any, of VSGS versus VR as a temporization procedure in high-grade IVH of prematurity.METHODSThe HCRN conducted a prospective cohort study across 6 centers with an approximate 1.5- to 3-year accrual period (depending on center) followed by 6 months of follow-up. Infants with premature birth, who weighed less than 1500 g, had Grade 3 or 4 IVH of prematurity, and had more than 72 hours of life expectancy were included in the study. Based on a priori consensus, decisions were standardized regarding the timing of initial surgical treatment, upfront shunt versus temporization procedure (VR or VSGS), and when to convert a VR or VSGS to a permanent shunt. Physical examination assessment and surgical technique were also standardized. The primary outcome was the proportion of infants who underwent conversion to a permanent shunt. The major secondary outcomes of interest included infection and other complication rates.RESULTSOne hundred forty-five premature infants were enrolled and met criteria for analysis. Using the standardized decision rubrics, 28 infants never reached the threshold for treatment, 11 initially received permanent shunts, 4 were initially treated with endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), and 102 underwent a temporization procedure (36 with VSGSs and 66 with VRs). The 2 temporization cohorts were similar in terms of sex, race, IVH grade, head (orbitofrontal) circumference, and ventricular size at temporization. There were statistically significant differences noted between groups in gestational age, birth weight, and bilaterality of clot burden that were controlled for in post hoc analysis. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, the 180-day rates of conversion to permanent shunts were 63.5% for VSGS and 74.0% for VR (p = 0.36, log-rank test). The infection rate for VSGS was 14% (5/36) and for VR was 17% (11/66; p = 0.71). The overall compliance rate with the standardized decision rubrics was noted to be 90% for all surgeons.CONCLUSIONSA standardized protocol was instituted across all centers of the HCRN. Compliance was high. Choice of temporization techniques in premature infants with IVH does not appear to influence rates of conversion to permanent ventricular CSF diversion. Once management decisions and surgical techniques are standardized across HCRN sites, thus minimizing center effect, the observed difference in conversion rates between VSGSs and VRs is mitigated.

The assessment of bulging fontanel and splitting of sutures in premature infants: an interrater reliability study by the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Wellons ◽  
Richard Holubkov ◽  
Samuel R. Browd ◽  
Jay Riva-Cambrin ◽  
William Whitehead ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Clinical Research ◽  
Premature Infants ◽  
Interrater Reliability ◽  
Clinical Decision Making ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Posthemorrhagic Hydrocephalus ◽  
Clinical Research Network

Object Previous studies from the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (HCRN) have shown a great degree of variation in surgical decision making for infants with posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus, such as when to temporize, when to shunt, or when to convert. Since much of this clinical decision making is dictated by clinical signs of increased intracranial pressure (including bulging fontanel and splitting of sutures), the authors investigated whether there was variability in how these signs were being assessed by neurosurgeons. They wanted to answer the following question: is there acceptable interrater reliability in the neurosurgical assessment of bulging fontanel and split sutures? Methods Explicit written definitions of “bulging fontanel” and “split sutures” were agreed upon with consensus across the HCRN. At 5 HCRN centers, pairs of neurosurgeons independently assessed premature infants in the first 3 months of life for the presence of a split suture and/or bulging fontanel, according to the a priori definitions. Interrater reliability was then calculated between pairs of observers using the Cohen simple kappa coefficient. Institutional board review approval was obtained at each center and at the University of Utah Data Coordinating Center. Results A total of 38 infants were assessed by 13 different raters (10 faculty, 2 fellows, and 1 resident). The kappa for bulging fontanel was 0.65 (95% CI 0.41–0.90), and the kappa for split sutures was 0.84 (95% CI 0.66–1.0). No complications from the study were encountered. Conclusions The authors have found a high degree of interrater reliability among neurosurgeons in their assessment of bulging fontanel and split sutures. While decision making may vary, the clinical assessment of this cohort appears to be consistent among these physicians, which is crucial for prospective studies moving forward.

Preventable hospitalizations among older patients with cognitive impairments and dementia

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 383-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominik Wolf ◽  
Carolin Rhein ◽  
Katharina Geschke ◽  
Andreas Fellgiebel
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Hospital Stay ◽  
Ambulatory Care ◽  
Prospective Cohort Study ◽  
Prospective Cohort ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Cognitive Impairments ◽  
Length Of Hospital Stay ◽  
Complication Rates

ABSTRACTObjectives:Dementia and cognitive impairment are associated with higher rates of complications and mortality during hospitalization in older patients. Moreover, length of hospital stay and costs are increased. In this prospective cohort study, we investigated the frequency of hospitalizations caused by ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs), for which proactive ambulatory care might prevent the need for a hospital stay, in older patients with and without cognitive impairments.Design:Prospective cohort study.Setting:Eight hospitals in Germany.Participants:A total of 1,320 patients aged 70 years and older.Measurements:The Mini-Cog test has been used to assess cognition and to categorize patients in the groups no/moderate cognitive impairments (probably no dementia) and severe cognitive impairments (probable dementia). Moreover, lengths of hospital stay and complication rates have been assessed, using a binary questionnaire (if occurred during hospital stay or not; behavioral symptoms were adapted from the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory). Data have been acquired by the nursing staff who received a special multi-day training.Results:Patients with severe cognitive impairments showed higher complication rates (including incontinence, disorientation, irritability/aggression, restlessness/anxiety, necessity of Tranquilizers and psychiatric consults, application of measures limiting freedom, and falls) and longer hospital stays (+1.4 days) than patients with no/moderate cognitive impairments. Both groups showed comparably high ACSC-caused admission rates of around 23%.Conclusions:The study indicates that about one-fourth of hospital admissions of cognitively normal and impaired older adults are caused by ACSCs, which are mostly treatable on an ambulatory basis. This implies that an improved ambulatory care might reduce the frequency of hospitalizations, which is of particular importance in cognitively impaired elderly due to increased complication rates.

Treatment strategies for hydrocephalus related to Dandy-Walker syndrome: evaluating procedure selection and success within the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Aaron M. Yengo-Kahn ◽  
John C. Wellons ◽  
Todd C. Hankinson ◽  
Jason S. Hauptman ◽  
Eric M. Jackson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Research ◽  
Treatment Success ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Csf Shunt ◽  
Third Ventriculostomy ◽  
Separate Analysis ◽  
Complication Rates ◽  
Primary Analysis ◽  
Clinical Research Network

OBJECTIVE Treating Dandy-Walker syndrome–related hydrocephalus (DWSH) involves either a CSF shunt-based or endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV)–based procedure. However, comparative investigations are lacking. This study aimed to compare shunt-based and ETV-based treatment strategies utilizing archival data from the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (HCRN) registry. METHODS A retrospective review of prospectively collected and maintained data on children with DWSH, available from the HCRN registry (14 sites, 2008–2018), was performed. The primary outcome was revision-free survival of the initial surgical intervention. The primary exposure was either shunt-based (i.e., cystoperitoneal shunt [CPS], ventriculoperitoneal shunt [VPS], and/or dual-compartment) or ETV-based (i.e., ETV alone or with choroid plexus cauterization [CPC]) initial surgical treatment. Primary analysis included multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS Of 8400 HCRN patients, 151 (1.8%) had DWSH. Among these, the 102 patients who underwent shunt placement (79 VPSs, 16 CPSs, 3 other, and 4 multiple proximal catheter) were younger (6.6 vs 18.8 months, p < 0.001) and more frequently had 1 or more comorbidities (37.3% vs 14.3%, p = 0.005) than the 49 ETV-treated children (28 ETV-CPC). Fifty percent of the shunt-based and 51% of the ETV-based treatments failed. Notably, 100% (4/4) of the dual-compartment shunts failed. Adjusting for age, baseline ventricular size, and comorbidities, ETV-based treatment was not significantly associated with earlier failure compared with shunt-based treatment (HR for failure 1.32, 95% CI 0.77–2.26; p = 0.321). Complication rates were low: 4.9% and 6.1% (p = 0.715) for shunt- and ETV-based procedures, respectively. There was no difference in survival between ETV-CPC– and ETV-based treatment when adjusting for age (HR for failure 0.86, 95% CI 0.29–2.55, p = 0.783). CONCLUSIONS In this North American, multicenter, prospective database review, shunt-based and ETV-based primary treatment strategies of DWSH appear similarly durable. Pediatric neurosurgeons can reasonably consider ETV-based initial treatment given the similar durability and the low complication rate. However, given the observational nature of this study, the treating surgeon might need to consider subgroups that were too small for a separate analysis. Very young children with comorbidities were more commonly treated with shunts, and older children with fewer comorbidities were offered ETV-based treatment. Future studies may determine preoperative characteristics associated with ETV treatment success in this population.

scholarly journals 61 Cow’s milk fat and child adiposity: a prospective cohort study

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. e25-e26
Author(s):  
Shelley Vanderhout ◽  
Charles Keown-Stoneman ◽  
Catherine Birken ◽  
Kevin Thorpe ◽  
Deborah O’Connor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Prospective Cohort Study ◽  
Prospective Cohort ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Cow’S Milk ◽  
Fat Intake ◽  
Lower Odds ◽  
Cow's Milk ◽  
Reduced Fat

Abstract Background International guidelines recommend that children older than 2 years of age consume reduced fat (0.1-2%) instead of whole cow’s milk (3.25% fat) to prevent childhood obesity, but these guidelines are consensus-based and have a low GRADE level of evidence. Objectives The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the longitudinal relationship between cow’s milk fat (0.1-3.25%) intake and Body Mass Index z-score (zBMI) in children aged 9 months to 8 years. The secondary objective was to determine the relationship between cow’s milk fat intake and odds of overweight (zBMI &gt;1) and obesity (zBMI &gt; 2). Design/Methods A prospective cohort study of children 9 months to 8 years of age was conducted through the TARGet Kids! primary care research network. The primary exposure was cow’s milk fat consumption (skim (0.1%), 1%, 2%, or whole [3.25%]), measured by parental report. The primary outcome was zBMI, an age and sex adjusted measure of child adiposity. Height and weight were measured by trained research assistants and zBMI was determined according to the WHO growth standards. A linear mixed effects model and logistic generalized estimating equations were used to determine the longitudinal association between cow’s milk fat intake and child zBMI. Results Among children aged 9 months to 8 years of age (N= 7467), each 1% increase in cow’s milk fat consumed was associated with a 0.05 lower zBMI score (95% CI -0.07 to -0.03, p&lt; 0.0001). Compared to children who consumed reduced fat (0.1-2%) cow’s milk, there was evidence that children who consumed whole cow’s milk had 16% lower odds of overweight (OR=0.84, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.91), p&lt; 0.0001) and 18% lower odds of obesity (OR= 0.82, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.00, p= 0.047). Conclusion Guidelines for reduced fat instead of whole cow’s milk during childhood may not be effective in preventing overweight or obesity. Randomized controlled trial data is needed to understand which cow’s milk fat optimizes child growth, development and nutrition.

LI-RADS 4 or 5 categorization may not be clinically relevant for decision-making processes: A prospective cohort study

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 662-667
Author(s):  
Federico Piñero ◽  
Marcos A. Thompson ◽  
Federico Diaz Telli ◽  
Juan Trentacoste ◽  
Carlos Padín ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Prospective Cohort Study ◽  
Prospective Cohort ◽  
Decision Making Processes
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