Search

Sex differences after concussion have been studied largely in high school and college athletes, often without reference to comparison groups without concussion. This study sought to evaluate sex differences in outcomes among all children and adolescents presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) for either mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) or orthopedic injury (OI), regardless of mechanism of injury. The study involved a concurrent cohort, prospective study design with longitudinal follow-up. Participants were eight to 16 years old with mild TBI (n = 143) or OI (n = 73). They were recruited and completed an initial assessment at EDs at two children's hospitals. They returned for a post-acute assessment within two weeks of injury and for follow-up assessments at three and six months. Outcomes included child and parent proxy ratings of somatic and cognitive symptoms, and standardized tests of cognitive functioning and balance. Sex did not moderate group differences in balance, fluid or crystallized cognitive ability, or child or parent proxy ratings of somatic or cognitive symptoms. Both parents and children reported more somatic symptoms in girls than boys, but in both groups. Compared with the OI group, the mild TBI group showed significantly lower fluid cognitive ability at the post-acute assessment and significantly higher somatic and cognitive symptoms according to both child and parent proxy ratings across the first two weeks post-injury. The results suggest that sex does not moderate the outcomes of mild TBI in a pediatric ED population. Previous research pointing to sex differences after concussion may reflect the lack of comparison groups, as well as a focus on adolescents and young adults and sport-related concussion. Future research should investigate whether sex moderates the outcomes of pediatric mild TBI in adolescents but not in pre-adolescent children.

This study is the first to examine cognitive outcomes after pediatric mild TBI using the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB), a computerized cognitive test battery. The NIHTB-CB includes two complex measures of attention and executive function that allow differentiation of accuracy and response speed. We compared performance on the NIHTB-CB among children 8–16 years of age with mild TBI (n = 143) versus children with orthopedic injuries (OIs; n = 74) recruited in emergency departments and followed for 6 months post-injury. Mixed-model analyses showed that the mild TBI group showed significantly lower Fluid Cognition composite scores than the OI group at 10 days (group intercept, p = 0.018); the magnitude of group differences declined modestly over time (group × time interaction, p = 0.055). Effect sizes were d = 0.34 at 10 days post-injury, d = 0.27 at 3 months, and d = 0.10 at 6 months. No significant effects of group or time were found for the Crystallized Cognition composite. Analyses of Fluid Cognition subtests indicated that children with mild TBI displayed deficits for as long as 3 months on measures of attention and executive function (e.g., cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control), but not on measures of explicit memory, working memory, or processing speed. The poorer performance of the mild TBI group on measures of attention and executive function was attributable largely to slowed reaction time, not decreased accuracy. The findings suggest that children with mild TBI demonstrate persistent deficits in fluid cognition that are most apparent on tasks that combine demands for both speed and executive function.

BackgroundPrior studies have shown poor recruitment and retention of minoritized groups in clinical trials.ObjectiveTo examine several social determinants as predictors of consent to participate and retention as part of a prospective, longitudinal cohort study of children 8–16 with either mild traumatic brain injury (mild TBI) or orthopedic injury (OI).MethodsChildren and families were recruited during acute visits to emergency departments (ED) in two large children's hospitals in the midwestern United States for a prospective, longitudinal cohort study of children 8–16 with either mild TBI or OI.ResultsA total of 588 (mild TBI = 307; OI = 281) eligible children were approached in the ED and 315 (mild TBI = 195; OI = 120) were consented. Children who consented did not differ significantly from those who did not consent in sex or age. Consent rates were higher among Black (60.9%) and multi-racial (76.3%) children than white (45.3%) children. Among the 315 children who consented, 217 returned for a post-acute assessment (mild TBI = 143; OI = 74), a retention rate of 68.9%. Participants who were multi-racial (96.6%) or white (79.8%) were more likely to return for the post-acute visit than those who were Black (54.3%).ConclusionsRacial differences exist in both recruitment and retention of participants in a prospective, longitudinal cohort of children with mild TBI or OI. Further work is needed to understand these differences to ensure equitable participation of minoritized groups in brain injury research.

Objective The study sought to present normative and psychometric data and reliable change formulas for the Health and Behavior Inventory (HBI), a postconcussive symptom rating scale embedded in the Child Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5th edition (Child SCAT5). Design Prospective cohort study with longitudinal follow-up. Setting Pediatric emergency departments (EDs). Participants As part of 3 studies conducted in the United States and Canada between 2001 and 2019, 450 children aged 8 to 16 years with mild orthopedic injuries were recruited during ED visits and assessed postacutely (M = 9.38 days, SD = 3.31) and 1 month and 3 months postinjury. Independent variables were rater (child vs parent), sex, and age at injury. Main outcome measure HBI ratings. Methods Children and parents rated children's symptoms at each time point; parents also rated children's preinjury symptoms retrospectively. Normative data (mean, SD, skewness, kurtosis, and percentiles) were computed for child and parent ratings. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach alpha (α), and test-retest reliability and interrater agreement were assessed with intraclass correlations (ICCs). Reliable change formulas were computed using linear regression and mixed models. Results HBI ratings were positively skewed. Mean ratings and percentiles were stable over time. Child and parent ratings demonstrated good-to-excellent internal consistency (α 0.76-0.94) and moderate-to-good test-retest reliability (ICC 0.51-0.76 between adjacent assessments). However, parent-child agreement was poor to moderate (ICC 0.31-0.69). Conclusions The HBI demonstrates acceptable normative and psychometric characteristics. Modest parent-child agreement highlights the importance of multiple informants when assessing postconcussive symptoms. The results will facilitate the use of the HBI in research and clinical practice.

Objective This prospective, longitudinal cohort study examined the trajectory, classification, and features of posttraumatic headache after pediatric mild traumatic brain injury. Methods Children ( N = 213; ages 8.00 to 16.99 years) were recruited from two pediatric emergency departments Results PTH risk was greater after mild traumatic brain injury than mild orthopedic injury at 10 days (odds ratio = 197.41, p Conclusions Posttraumatic headache risk increases after mild traumatic brain injury relative to mild orthopedic injury for approximately three months postinjury, but is not clearly associated with a distinct phenotype.

Studies of brain morphometry may illuminate the effects of pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (TBI; e.g., concussion). However, no published studies have examined cortical thickness in the early injury phases of pediatric mild TBI using an appropriate comparison group. The current study used an automated approach (i.e., FreeSurfer) to determine whether cortical thickness differed in children following a mild TBI or a mild orthopedic injury (OI), and to examine whether post-acute cortical thickness predicted post-acute and chronic post-concussive symptoms (PCS). Children ages 8.00-16.99 years with mild TBI (n = 136) or OI (n = 70) were recruited at emergency department visits to two children's hospitals, during which parents rated children's pre-injury symptoms retrospectively. Children completed a post-acute (3–24 days post-injury) assessment, which included a 3 Tesla MRI, and 3- and 6-month post-injury assessments. Parents and children rated PCS at each assessment. Cortical thickness was estimated using FreeSurfer. Linear mixed effects and multi-variable negative binomial regression models were used to test study aims, with false discovery rate (FDR) correction for multiple comparisons. Groups differed significantly on left parietal cortical thickness (TBI > OI) after FDR correction. Cortical thickness also varied by brain subregion and age, but not sex. Groups differed significantly on PCS post-acutely (TBI > OI), but not at 3 or 6 months. Right frontal thickness was positively related to post-acute PCS in both groups. Right cingulum thickness predicted chronic PCS in the OI group only. Results highlight the complexity of predicting outcomes of pediatric mild TBI from post-acute neuroimaging biomarkers.

Although there are several techniques to analyze diffusion-weighted imaging, any technique must be sufficiently sensitive to detect clinical abnormalities. This is especially critical in disorders like mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), where pathology is likely to be subtle. mTBI represents a major public health concern, especially for youth under 15 years of age. However, the developmental period from birth to 18 years is also a time of tremendous brain changes. Therefore, it is important to establish the degree of age- and sex-related differences. Participants were children aged 8–15 years with mTBI or mild orthopedic injuries (OI). Imaging was obtained within 10 days of injury. We performed tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS), deterministic tractography using AFQ (Automated Fiber Quantification), and probabilistic tractography using TRACULA (TRActs Constrained by UnderLying Anatomy) to evaluate whether any method provided improved sensitivity at identifying group, developmental, and/or sex-related differences. Although, there were no group differences from any of the three analyses, many of the tracts, but not all, revealed increases of fractional anisotropy (FA) and decreases of axial, radial, and mean diffusivity (AD, RD, and MD, respectively) with age. TBSS analyses resulted in age-related changes across all white matter tracts. AFQ and TRACULA revealed age-related changes within the corpus callosum, cingulum cingulate, corticospinal tract, inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculus, and uncinate fasciculus. The results are in many ways consistent across all three methods. However, results from the tractography methods provided improved sensitivity and better tract-specific results for identifying developmental and sex-related differences within the brain.

Although the proper installation and maintenance of carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke alarms can protect individuals from residential CO-related and fire-related injuries, these devices are underutilized. We describe characteristics associated with self-reported CO and smoke alarm use of parents recruited from a pediatric emergency department to improve CO alarm use. Parents of children ≤ 18 years (N = 299) reported socio-demographic characteristics and CO and smoke alarm ownership and practices. We assigned participants to a behavioral profile and a Precaution Adoption Process Model stage based on their self-reported CO and smoke alarm use. Most participants (71%) did not have CO alarms in their homes, but reported owning at least one working smoke alarm (98%). Participants who reported “perfect” CO alarm behavior (defined as having a working CO alarm, one near a sleeping area, with batteries replaced every 6 months; 9%) were more likely to earn a higher income, own their home, and have lived at their current residence for at least 2 years. Participants who reported “perfect” smoke alarm behavior (defined as having a working smoke alarm on every level, with batteries replaced every 6 months; 49%) were more likely to rent their home, receive federal assistance, and have lived at their current residence for at least 2 years. Interventions to increase correct CO alarm use are necessary.

Objectives The Pediatric Early Warning Score (PEWS) systems were developed to provide a reproducible assessment of a child's clinical status while hospitalized. Most studies investigating the PEWS evaluate its usefulness in the inpatient setting. Limited studies evaluate the effectiveness and integration of PEWS in the pediatric emergency department (ED). The goal of this study was to explore the test characteristics of an ED-assigned PEWS score for intensive care unit (ICU) admission or clinical deterioration in admitted patients. Methods This was a prospective 12-month observational study of patients, aged 0 to 21 years, admitted from the ED of an urban, tertiary care children's hospital. ED nurses were instructed in PEWS assignment and electronic medical record (EMR) documentation. Interrater reliability between nurses was evaluated. PEWS scores were measured at initial assessment (P0) and time of admission (P1). Patients were stratified into outcome groups: those admitted to the ICU either from the ED or as transfers from the floor and those admitted to the floor only. Clinical deterioration was defined as transfer to the ICU within 6 hours or within 6 to 24 hours of admission. PEWS scores and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were compared for patients admitted to the floor, ICU, and with clinical deterioration. Results The authors evaluated 12,306 consecutively admitted patients, with 99% having a PEWS documented in the EMR. Interrater reliability was excellent (intraclass coefficient = 0.91). A total of 1,300 (10.6%) patients were admitted to the ICU and 11,066 (89.4%) were admitted to the floor. PEWS scores were higher for patients in the ICU group (P0 = 2.8, SD ± 2.4; P1 = 3.2, SD ± 2.4; p

ECMO is an important tool to provide oxygen delivery and carbon dioxide removal in addition to cardiac support for patients with intractable reversible respiratory or cardiovascular collapse unresponsive to conventional treatment. Even though ECMO can be a life-saving modality, it is expensive and labor-intensive and carries a significant complication risk. Early recognition and prompt referral of patients who may benefit from ECMO in addition to careful patient selection, continuous communication between ECMO centers and their referral base, and meticulous care can improve the outcome of these critically ill patients who previously had no chance of survival.

This study evaluated whether serum bicarbonate levels, serum chloride levels, and other diagnostic criteria could be used to differentiate pyloric stenosis (PS) from severe gastroesophageal reflux (GER) during early infancy. The investigation was a retrospective, case-control study conducted in the emergency department of a large, academic children's hospital. Cases were 75 consecutive infants with PS confirmed in the operating room. Controls were 75 consecutive infants 12 weeks of age or younger with the diagnosis of GER whose serum electrolytes had been examined. Projectile vomiting was sensitive (0.93) but not specific (0.39) for PS. The mean serum bicarbonate level was 27.2 mmol/L for PS patients and 22.3 mmol/L for GER patients (P.00001), and the mean serum chloride level was 95.7 mmol/L and 103.6 mmol/L for PS patients and GER patients, respectively (P.00001). Serum bicarbonate levels ofor =29 mmol/L and serum chloride levels ofor =98 mmol/L had high positive predictive values (0.96 and 0.97, respectively) and were specific (0.99 for both) but not very sensitive (0.36 and 0.50, respectively) in identifying patients with PS. Only one patient would have been misclassified (false positive) as having PS using either of these cutoff values. These laboratory tests can also help discriminate between PS and GER when the history and physical examination fail to do so. For example, of the 20 patients with PS who did not have a pyloric mass palpated, 3 (15%) had serum bicarbonate levels ofor =29 mmol/L, and 6 (30%) had serum chloride levels ofor =98 mmol/L. In conclusion, the serum bicarbonate or serum chloride level offers a useful additional diagnostic tool in the evaluation of children presenting during early infancy with vomiting of uncertain etiology.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to define self-embedding behavior (SEB), develop a clinical profile of adolescents who engage in SEB, and emphasize the importance of rapid, targeted, and effective identification and intervention. METHODS: As part of a retrospective study with a database evaluating 600 patients percutaneously treated for soft-tissue foreign body removal, adolescents were identified with self-embedded soft-tissue foreign bodies. We describe patients' gender, age, and psychiatric diagnoses; SEB age of onset, frequency, and self-reported reasons; and the number, type, location of, and removal technique for objects. RESULTS: Eleven patients (9 females) who engaged in SEB were identified. Ten of the 11 patients were members of a group home or psychiatric facility at the time they engaged in SEB. All patients had previous and multiple psychiatric diagnoses. SEB mean age-of-onset was 16 years, and mean number of SEB episodes per patient was 1.9. The most common self-reported purpose for SEB was suicidal ideation (6 of 8 [75%]) versus nonsuicidal ideation (2 of 8 [25%]), with 3 cases lacking this documentation. The mean number of objects embedded in a single episode was 2.4, usually composed of metal and embedded in the arm. Seventy-six foreign bodies were percutaneously removed (using ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance), including metal, glass, wood, plastic, graphite, and crayon. CONCLUSIONS: SEB is an extreme form of self-injury requiring aggressive and timely interdisciplinary assessment and treatment. An understanding of SEB allows medical professionals to pursue rapid, targeted, and effective intervention to interrupt the cycle of self-harm and institute appropriate long-term therapy.