Association between habitual snoring,middle ear disease,and speech problems in young children with non-syndromic cleft palate anomalies

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between habitual snoring (HS), middle ear disease (MED), and speech problems in children with cleft palate. This cross-sectional study included children aged 2.0–7.9 years with non-syndromic cleft palate anomalies. Parents completed the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire and a questionnaire about MED. Audiograms and speech assessment were also conducted. Ninety-five children were enrolled; 15.2% of families reported HS, 97.6% MED, and 17.1% speech problems. HS (37.5% vs 10.3%, P = 0.007) and early episodes of MED (92.3% vs 58.2%, P = 0.021) were more likely to be reported for children with isolated cleft palate when compared to those with cleft lip and palate. Children with cleft lip and palate had a higher frequency of MED with effusion compared to those with Robin sequence (86.4% vs 57.1%, P = 0.049). The odds ratio for HS in children with ≥1 episode of MED in the last year was 7.37 (95% confidence interval 1.55–35.15, P = 0.012). There was a trend for children with speech problems reported by parents to have HS (30.8% vs 11.5%, P= 0.076). Anatomical factors play a role in the frequency of upper airway symptoms in children with cleft palate. A recent history of at least one episode of MED was associated with an increased frequency of HS.     

左卡尼汀联合重组人促红素注射液治疗规律透析慢性肾功能衰竭合并贫血患者的临床效果

目的探究左卡尼汀联合重组人促红素注射液治疗规律透析慢性肾功能衰竭合并贫血患者的临床效果。方法选择2017年1月至2020年1月收治的100例规律透析慢性肾功能衰竭合并贫血患者,以计算机随机化法将其分为对照组和试验组,每组50例。对照组给予重组人促红素注射液治疗,试验组给予左卡尼汀与重组人促红素注射液联合治疗。比较两组患者的治疗效果。结果试验组的治疗总有效率为96.00%,高于对照组的80.00%(P<0.05);治疗后,两组患者的MCHC、MCH、MCV、SF、Hb、RBC水平均高于治疗前,且试验组高于对照组(P<0.05);两组患者的不良反应总发生率比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论规律透析慢性肾功能衰竭合并贫血患者接受左卡尼汀与重组人促红素注射液联合治疗,可获得较好的效果,改善贫血相关生化指标水平,且不良反应发生率低,安全有效。     

Novel variants in aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency: Case report of sisters with mild phenotype

BackgroundAromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency, caused by a pathogenic variant in the dopa decarboxylase (DDC) gene, is a rare neurometabolic disorder in which catecholamine and serotonin are not synthesized. From a large number of reports, it has been recognized that most affected patients show severe developmental delay in a bedridden state and are unable to speak. On the other hand, patients with a mild phenotype with AADC deficiency have been reported, but they number only a few cases. Therefore, the variation of phenotypes of the disease appears to be broad, and it may be challenging to diagnose an atypical phenotype as AADC deficiency.Case reportWe report novel compound heterozygous variants in DDC (c.202G > A and c.254C > T) in two sisters, whose main complaint was mild developmental delay, by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Additionally, we describe their clinical features and provide an image that shows the variants located at different sites responsible for the catalysis of AADC in a three-dimensional structure. The patients were prescribed a Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor after diagnosis.InterpretationOur cases indicate that a comprehensive genomic approach helps to diagnose AADC deficiency with atypical features, and underscore the significance of understanding the variations of this disorder for diagnosis and appropriate treatment.     

改进Seldinger法经皮穿刺腹膜透析置管术在终末期肾病患者中的应用

目的:探讨改进Seldinger法经皮穿刺腹膜透析置管术在终末期肾病患者中的应用效果。方法:选取2019年12月~2020年12月于本院进行腹膜透析置管术的终末期肾病患者61例,随机分为观察组(31例)和对照组(30例),对照组患者采用常规开腹手术置管,观察组采用改进Seldinger法置管,比较两组患者完成置管手术的相关指标(手术时间、术后排气时间、切口长度、住院时间),术后3d、1个月患者并发症发生情况。结果:较对照组,观察组手术时间、术后排气时间均更短,腹部切口长度更短(P<0.05),两组患者住院时间比较(P>0.05),观察组穿刺成功率明显高于对照组(100.00%,80.00%,χ²=6.88,P=0.01)。较对照组,观察组患者术后3d并发症发生率明显低于对照组(22.58%,50.00%,χ²=4.97,P=0.03),观察组患者术后1个月并发症发生率明显低于对照组(19.35%,53.33%,χ²=7.05,P=0.01)。结论:对终末期肾病患者运用改进Seldinger法经皮穿刺腹膜透析置管术进行置管可有效缩短手术时间和术后排气时间,创口较小,患者术后早期、远期并发症较少,临床应用效果较好。     

Association of regional socioeconomic deprivation and rurality with global developmental delay in early childhood: Data from mandatory school entry examinations in Germany

BackgroundFrom birth to young adulthood, health and development of young people are strongly linked to their living situation, including their family’s socioeconomic position (SEP) and living environment. The impact of regional characteristics on development in early childhood beyond family SEP has been rarely investigated. This study aimed to identify regional predictors of global developmental delay at school entry taking family SEP into consideration.MethodWe used representative, population-based data from mandatory school entry examinations of the German federal state of Brandenburg in 2018/2019 with n=22,801 preschool children. By applying binary multilevel models, we hierarchically analyzed the effect of regional deprivation defined by the German Index of Socioeconomic Deprivation (GISD) and rurality operationalized as inverted population density of the children’s school district on global developmental delay (GDD) while adjusting for family SEP (low, medium and high).ResultsFamily SEP was significantly and strongly linked to GDD. Children with the highest family SEP showed a lower odds for GDD compared to a medium SEP (female: OR=4.26, male: OR=3.46) and low SEP (female: OR=16.58, male: OR=12.79). Furthermore, we discovered a smaller, but additional and independent effect of regional socioeconomic deprivation on GDD, with a higher odds for children from a more deprived school district (female: OR=1.35, male: OR=1.20). However, rurality did not show a significant link to GDD in preschool children beyond family SEP and regional deprivation.ConclusionFamily SEP and regional deprivation are risk factors for child development and of particular interest to promote health of children in early childhood and over the life course.     

Routine Laboratory Testing Every 4 Versus Every 6 Weeks for Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis: A Quality Improvement Project

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Impact of vaccination delay on deaths averted by pneumococcal conjugate vaccine: Modeled effects in 8 country scenarios

Delay in vaccination from schedule has been frequently documented and varies by vaccine, dose, and setting. Vaccination delay may result in the failure to prevent deaths that would have been averted by on-schedule vaccination.We constructed a model to assess the impact of delay in vaccination with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) on under-five mortality. The model accounted for the week of age-specific risk of pneumococcal mortality, direct effect of vaccination, and herd protection. For each model run, a cohort of children were exposed to the risk of mortality and protective effect of PCV for each week of age from birth to age five. The model was run with and without vaccination delay and difference in number of deaths averted was calculated. We applied the model to eight country-specific vaccination scenarios, reflecting variations in observed vaccination delay, PCV coverage, herd effect, mortality risk, and vaccination schedule. As PCV is currently being scaled up in India, we additionally evaluated the impact of vaccination delay in India under various delay scenarios and coverage levels.We found deaths averted by PCV with and without delay to be comparable in all of the country scenarios when accounting for herd protection. In India, the greatest relative difference in deaths averted was observed at low coverage levels and greatest absolute difference was observed around 60% vaccination coverage. Under moderate delay scenarios, vaccination delay had modest impact on deaths averted by PCV in India across levels of coverage or vaccination schedule. Without accounting for herd protection, vaccination delay resulted in much greater failure to avert deaths.Our model suggests that realistic vaccination delay has a minimal impact on the number of deaths averted by PCV when accounting for herd effect. High population coverage can largely over-ride the deleterious effect of vaccination delay through herd protection.