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Aim : The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical and management aspect of congenital pouch colon. Materials and Methods : This retrospective study was carried out on 40 cases of congenital pouch colon managed in the department of paediatric surgery from 01, January 2000 to 31, December 2005. Results : The incidence of congenital pouch colon (CPC) in the present study was 11.290 % (40 of 354) of all anorectal malformations (ARM) and 19.60% (40 of 204) of high ARM. Of these 40 cases of CPC included in the study, 82.5% were male and 17.5% were female. The average age of presentation to hospital was 3.36 days with a range of 1-11 days; of these 25% patients were admitted with poor general condition. Preoperative diagnosis of CPC was possible in 75% of cases in our study. 60% ( n =24) of cases had incomplete pouch colon (Type III and IV) while 40% ( n =16) had complete pouch colon (Type I and II). Right transverse colostomy was done in 16 patients and colostomy at descending colon just proximal to pouch in two patients for incomplete (Type III and IV) CPC as a primary initial procedure. Ileostomy was done in 14 patients and window colostomy in three patients for complete (Type I and II) CPC. As definitive procedures, pouch excision and abdomino-perineal pull-through of colon was done in 17 patients, coloplasty and abdomino-perineal pull-through of coloplasty colon was done in four patients and pouch excision and abdomino-perineal pull-through of terminal ileum in four patients in our series. None of our patients underwent primary single stage procedure. Conclusion: (1) CPC comprises 11.290 % of all ARM and 19.60% of high ARM. (2) Right transverse colostomy was opted for incomplete pouch colon, while Ileostomy and window colostomy were opted for complete pouch colon as initial surgical procedures. (3) Staged surgical procedures for management of CPC were well tolerated in our series.

A Prune Belly syndrome with VATER/VACTERL association is an extremely rare. They are either stillborn or die within few days of life, only few such cases have been reported in literature. We are presenting here a male neonate of Prune Belly syndrome associated with incomplete VACTERL with brief review of literature.

Primary hyperoxaluria is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by deficiency of alanine‑glyoxylate aminotransferase, which is encoded by the AGXT gene. We report three Indian children with primary hyperoxaluria type1 having a common mutation in this gene. All patients had evidence of chronic kidney disease at the time of diagnosis, with subsequent progression to end‑stage renal disease. The detection of an identical mutation in the AGXT gene suggests that specific genetic screening for this mutation may be useful when considering the diagnosis of primary hyperoxaluria type1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective postoperative pain relief is crucial for the recovery of pediatric patients. While artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being applied in pain assessment, there is a notable lack of data regarding its role in managing postoperative pain in children. This systematic review aims to address this gap by focusing on AI's use in predicting and evaluating pediatric postoperative pain. We conducted a comprehensive search of relevant studies from January 2000 to November 2023, identifying 4,491 studies, which were narrowed down to eight based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. These selected studies included 4,470 pediatric patients assessed using various pain measurement tools. The AI models used, primarily deep learning and machine learning, demonstrated accuracy rates ranging from 79% to 85.62% and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values between 84.00% and 94.00%. Although these AI-based pain assessment tools are still in the early stages, they often focus on single parameters. The heterogeneity of the available publications prevented the conduct of a meta-analysis. Our findings underscore the need for multimodal, multicentric research to improve the performance of AI-based tools for assessing postoperative pain in the pediatric population. Such advancements could significantly enhance the future of pediatric pain management., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2025, Kasundra et al.)

Background and Aims: We devised and compared the accuracy and time required for a 5-point airway (5-AIR) ultrasound (USG) protocol for confirming endotracheal intubation (ETI) and endotracheal tube (ETT) positioning (ETP) with the current reference standard of quantitative waveform capnography (QWC) and auscultation., Methods: In this prospective observational study, 75 American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II children between 2 and 12 years undergoing elective surgery were recruited. ETI and ETP were confirmed clinically and sonographically using the 5-AIR USG protocol, which involves real-time tracheal USG followed by bilateral pleural and diaphragmatic ultrasonography., Results: There was no oesophageal intubation in this study; hence, the accuracy of the USG protocol for ETI could not be determined. For ETP, 68 patients had correctly placed ETTs. The 5-AIR USG protocol identified 4 out of 7 endobronchial placements, resulting in a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 57.14%, and an overall diagnostic accuracy of 96%. The mean time for confirmation of ETI by QWC (20.77 s (standard deviation (SD): 4.11 s; 95% confidence interval (CI): 19.84, 21.70) was longer than real-time tracheal USG (2.11 s (SD: 0.31 s; 95% CI: 2.04, 2.18) ( P = 0.001). For ETP, the mean time for 5-point auscultation was 12.69 s (SD: 2.48 s; 95% CI: 12.19, 13.25) versus 6.39 s (SD: 0.54 s; 95% CI: 6.27, 6.51) for pleural USG ( P = 0.001). Adding diaphragmatic scanning increased the mean time to 11.45 s (SD: 0.87 s; 95% CI: 11.25, 11.65) and 30.68 s (SD: 2.01 s; 95% CI: 30.22, 31.13) if a probe change was required ( P = 0.001)., Conclusion: The 5-AIR USG protocol was useful, fast, and demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy to confirm endotracheal intubation and position in paediatric patients. This protocol may be incorporated along with clinical signs, auscultation, and QWC to confirm endotracheal intubation and position., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Indian Journal of Anaesthesia.)

We evaluated the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines among South Asians living in Ontario, Canada compared to non-South Asians and compared the odds of symptomatic COVID-19 infection and related hospitalizations and deaths among non-vaccinated South Asians and non-South Asians. This was a test negative design study conducted in Ontario, Canada between December 14, 2020 and November 15, 2021. All eligible individuals >18 years with symptoms of COVID-19 were subdivided by ethnicity (South Asian vs other) and vaccination status (vaccinated versus not). The primary outcome was vaccine effectiveness as defined by COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths, and secondary outcome was the odds of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and death comparing non-vaccinated South Asians to non-vaccinated non-South Asians. 883,155 individuals were included. Among South Asians, two doses of COVID-19 vaccine prevented 93.8% (95% CI 93.2, 94.4) of COVID-19 infections and 97.5% (95% CI 95.2, 98.6) of hospitalizations and deaths. Among non-South Asians, vaccines prevented 86.6% (CI 86.3, 86.9) of COVID-19 infections and 93.1% (CI 92.2, 93.8) of hospitalizations and deaths. Non-vaccinated South Asians had higher odds of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to non-vaccinated non-South Asians (OR 2.35, 95% CI 2.3, 2.4), regardless of their immigration status. COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing infections, hospitalizations and deaths among South Asians living in Canada. The observation that non-vaccinated South Asians have higher odds of symptomatic COVID-19 infection warrants further investigation., Competing Interests: The authors have read the journal’s policy and have the following competing interests: SSA holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Ethnic Diversity and Cardiovascular Disease (#CRC-2017-00024), and the Michael G DeGroote Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Chair in Population Health Research outside of the submitted work. ML sits on vaccine advisory boards for Seqirus, Pfizer, Sanofi, Medicago, GSK, Merck, Novovax, and Janssen; is on the Data Safety Monitoring Board for CanSino Biologics, has received funding from Seqirus for a vaccine trial, is receiving in-kind supply of smallpox vaccines from Bavarian Nordic, and has provided expert testimony about vaccines outside of the submitted work. DMEB holds a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Aging and Immunity, sits on vaccine advisory boards for Pfizer and AstraZeneca, has received consulting fees/honoraria for Pfizer and AstraZeneca, and has provided expert testimony about vaccines outside of the submitted work. SB is the Director of the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases (CVPD) at the University of Toronto outside of the submitted work. The CVPD receives operational support from a mix of funding sources, including through donations from pharmaceutical companies. A robust set of governance practices are in place to safeguard the academic freedom of the CVPD. BRS is funded by the University of Toronto as the Novo Nordisk Research Chair in Equitable Care of Diabetes and Related Conditions outside of the submitted work. DS holds the Heather M. Arthur Population Health Research Institute/Hamilton Health Sciences Chair in Inter-Professional Health Research and has received an honorarium from Diabetes Update 2023 for being an invited speaker and is a co-methods lead on the Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines Steering Committee outside of the submitted work. GW has received grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation outside of the submitted work. RJdS has received grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research, Population Health Research Institute, and Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation; he has received consulting fees and travel honoraria from the World Health Organization’s Nutrition Guidelines Advisory Group; he is an Independent Director for the Helderleigh Foundation (Canada) and Co-Chair of a method working group for the ADA/EASD Precision Medicine in Diabetes group outside of the submitted work. SIB has received grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and from the International Development Research Centre; he also served as a member of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Data and Safety Monitoring Board for COVID-19 Preventive monoclonal antibodies trials outside of the submitted work. All other authors declare that they have no competing interests. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS policies on sharing data and materials. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products associated with this research to declare., (Copyright: © 2024 Chanchlani et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Many ultrasound-guided procedures are available for administering analgesia via peripheral nerve blockade. This systematic review aims to compare different ultrasound-guided procedures to determine which procedure is better suited for pediatric abdominal surgeries. The objective is to understand the efficacy of ultrasound-guided procedures for postoperative pain management in children undergoing abdominal surgeries and to identify which procedure takes less time and is better suited for a particular surgery. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, SCOPUS, Central Cochrane Registry of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library), and ScienceDirect databases for pediatric abdominal surgeries conducted with ultrasound-guided procedures for administering analgesia. We included studies involving randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Quasi-randomized controlled studies, prospective, retrospective observational studies, case series, case reports, letters, editorials, comments, animal studies, and studies from non-English literature were excluded. We reviewed 13 articles with 910 patients included. Age groups varied from 6 months to 21 years. The most common block used was the transversus abdominis block (47.76%), and the most common surgery performed was hernia and hydrocele (52.10%). Quadratus lumborum block was used in 26.92%, erector spinae block in 8.97%, modified transversus abdominus block and rectus sheath block in 9.62%, and ilioinguinal block in 6.73% of the patients. No complications were reported in any of the studies. Transversus abdominus block is less effective in two of the studies. Each procedure for pediatric postoperative analgesia has specific advantages and limitations, highlighting the complexity of tailoring interventions. Our review focuses on the advancements in ultrasound-guided analgesia for lower abdominal surgeries in pediatric patients while also emphasizing the need for future randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to compare efficacy, standardize practices, and improve patient outcomes., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Saudi Journal of Anesthesia.)

Importance: In 2016 and 2017, respectively, new Canadian and US guidelines for diagnosis and management of pediatric hypertension (HTN) were published. Six years after their publication, it is unknown whether the recommendations have led to changes in primary care practice patterns., Objectives: To determine whether HTN guidelines are associated with changes in practice patterns among primary care clinicians., Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective, multicenter, population-based cohort study was conducted across 3 phases: January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2015 (era 1), January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2017 (washout period), and January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019 (era 2). Data were collected from 7 Canadian provinces using the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network Electronic Medical Record database. Eligible participants included children and adolescents (aged ≥3 to <18 years) with 1 or more encounters in the database. Data analysis was conducted from February 2022 to February 2023., Exposure: Implementation of the 2016 Hypertension Canada and 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcomes were annual BP screening documentation, high BP follow-up documentation at 6 months and 1-year, HTN prevalence, laboratory testing rates, and medication prescription rates. Interrupted time series analysis was used to assess the association of the introduction of the Canadian and US guidelines with outcomes., Results: The study included 343 191 children and adolescents (mean [SD] age at first encounter, 6.7 (4.6) years; 173 290 female [50.5%]; 169 901 male [49.5%]), including 235 094 patients in era 1 and 193 473 patients in era 2. In era 1, 55 550 patients (23.6%) had at least 1 BP measurement, and in era 2, 45 006 patients (23.3%) had at least 1 BP measurement. There was a significant increase in BP screening in era 2 from 26 876 of 148 554 screenings (18.1%) to 28 556 of 141 192 screenings (20.2%; β = 0.202; 95% CI, 0.009 to 0.390; P = .04), and the increasing trend was sustained. There was a significant decrease in the trend of follow-up of high BP measurement at 6 months (1265 of 4941 patients with BP measurements [25.6%] to 1718 of 7321 patients with BP measurements [23.5%]; β = -0.490; 95% CI, -0.758 to -0.223; P = .001) and 1 year (1974 of 4941 measurements [40.0%] to 2314 of 7321 measurements [31.6%]; β = -1.392; 95% CI, -1.573 to -1.212; P < .001) in era 2. The proportion of patients meeting HTN criteria significantly increased from 2540 of 55 550 patients (4.6%) in era 1 to 5690 of 45 006 patients (12.6%) in era 2 (β = 0.0210; 95% CI, 0.0021 to 0.0410; P = .03). There was no significant change in the trend of laboratory testing rates in era 2 (949 of 4941 patients tested [19.2%] to 1149 of 7321 patients tested [15.7%]; β = -0.159; 95% CI, -0.364 to 0.046; P = .12). The trend in prescribing of medications to patients with HTN also decreased in era 2 (1305 of 4941 patients prescribed medication [26.4%] to 1415 of 7321 patients prescribed medication [19.3%]; β = -0.605; 95% CI, -0.830 to -0.358; P < .001)., Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this cohort study within the Canadian primary care setting suggest that there was a significant increase in BP screening and HTN prevalence after the publication of national and international HTN guidelines; however, the follow-up of high BP was still suboptimal. Increasing rates of pediatric HTN emphasize the need for better adherence to pediatric HTN guidelines to improve care and outcomes.

Masked hypertension (MH) occurs when office blood pressure is normal, but hypertension is confirmed using out-of-office blood pressure measures. Hypertension is a risk factor for subclinical cardiovascular outcomes, including left ventricular hypertrophy, increased left ventricular mass index, carotid intima media thickness, and pulse wave velocity. However, the risk factors for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring defined MH and its association with subclinical cardiovascular outcomes are unclear. A systematic literature search on 9 databases included English publications from 1974 to 2023. Pediatric MH prevalence was stratified by disease comorbidities and compared with the general pediatric population. We also compared the prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy, and mean differences in left ventricular mass index, carotid intima media thickness, and pulse wave velocity between MH versus normotensive pediatric patients. Of 2199 screened studies, 136 studies (n=28 612; ages 4-25 years) were included. The prevalence of MH in the general pediatric population was 10.4% (95% CI, 8.00-12.80). Compared with the general pediatric population, the risk ratio (RR) of MH was significantly greater in children with coarctation of the aorta (RR, 1.91), solid-organ or stem-cell transplant (RR, 2.34), chronic kidney disease (RR, 2.44), and sickle cell disease (RR, 1.33). MH patients had increased risk of subclinical cardiovascular outcomes compared with normotensive patients, including higher left ventricular mass index (mean difference, 3.86 g/m 2.7 [95% CI, 2.51-5.22]), left ventricular hypertrophy (odds ratio, 2.44 [95% CI, 1.50-3.96]), and higher pulse wave velocity (mean difference, 0.30 m/s [95% CI, 0.14-0.45]). The prevalence of MH is significantly elevated among children with various comorbidities. Children with MH have evidence of subclinical cardiovascular outcomes, which increases their risk of long-term cardiovascular disease., Competing Interests: Disclosures None.

Background: Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) present with a variety of oral manifestations. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review to estimate the prevalence of oral lesions among COVID-19 patients., Methods: An extensive literature search of several electronic bibliographic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Litcovid) was conducted to retrieve all articles published in the English language from January 1, 2020 to March 31, 2023 that reported the prevalence of oral manifestations among COVID-19 patients. A meta-analysis of pooled prevalence was performed using Jamovi ver. 2.3 (2022). The I2 and Q statistics were used to assess heterogeneity between studies, and p-values <0.01 were considered statistically significant., Results: In total, 79 studies with data from 13,252 patients were included. The articles were predominantly published in 2020 (n=33), and Italy was the most common country (n=14). Most of the affected patients more than 50 years old and women (56.6%). The most common sites of involvement were the tongue (n=65), followed by the oral mucosa (n=37) and lips (n=19). High heterogeneity was found between studies. The most common oral manifestation was taste alteration, followed by xerostomia and ulceration, showing pooled prevalence rates of 48%, 35%, and 21%, respectively., Conclusion: COVID-19 patients show various oral manifestations that may help clinicians identify the disease promptly. Recognition of the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 is critical for an early diagnosis and better prognosis.

Background: Serotonin receptors 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D in the cerebral arteries are activated by the 5-hydroxytryptophan agonists (triptans) to relieve the discomfort associated with migraines. Even though triptans are often used to treat acute migraines, there is some debate over their effectiveness., Objective: Our systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of triptans for acute treatment of migraine in young individuals., Methods: Utilizing the databases of Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and PubMed, a literature search was conducted, and all papers published till July 2022 were included. This systematic review was carried out following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards. In addition to the Boolean operators AND, OR, and NOT, the following descriptive terms were also used: "Triptans," "Pediatric Migraine," "Migraine disorders," "Headache," "Children," and "Adolescent.", Results: A total of 1047 studies were identified, and 25 articles were finally included in the study. 17 of them were RCTs while the remaining were non-randomized trials. Most studies recruited participants aged between 12-17 years. Among 25 studies, 7 reported sumatriptan use, 3 assessed a combination of sumatriptan and naproxen, 4 were on almotriptan, 1 on eletriptan, 6 on rizatriptan, and 4 on zolmitriptan use., Conclusion: We found that rizatriptan (good tolerability profile with a dose of 5 mg) and sumatriptan (nasal spray, 10 mg and 20 mg) had higher efficiency as compared to other triptans. Regardless of type or dose, all triptans are generally well tolerated by patients, but a few adverse effects such as light-headedness (sumatriptan), nasopharyngitis, and, muscular spasms (sumatriptan/ naproxen), somnolence, and dry mouth (rizatriptan), and dizziness (zolmitriptan group) were reported with the triptans.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill children is associated with increased risk for short- and long-term adverse outcomes. Currently, there is no systematic follow-up for children who develop AKI in intensive care unit (ICU)., Objective: This study aimed to assess variation regarding management, perceived importance, and follow-up of AKI in the ICU setting within and between healthcare professional (HCP) groups., Design: Anonymous, cross-sectional, web-based surveys were administered nationally to Canadian pediatric nephrologists, pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) physicians, and PICU nurses, via professional listservs., Setting: All Canadian pediatric nephrologists, PICU physicians, and nurses treating children in the ICU were eligible for the survey., Patients: N/A., Measurements: Surveys included multiple choice and Likert scale questions on current practice related to AKI management and long-term follow-up, including institutional and personal practice approaches, and perceived importance of AKI severity with different outcomes., Methods: Descriptive statistics were performed. Categorical responses were compared using Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests; Likert scale results were compared using Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests., Results: Surveys were completed by 34/64 (53%) pediatric nephrologists, 46/113 (41%) PICU physicians, and 82 PICU nurses (response rate unknown). Over 65% of providers reported hemodialysis to be prescribed by nephrology; a mix of nephrology, ICU, or a shared nephrology-ICU model was reported responsible for peritoneal dialysis and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Severe hyperkalemia was the most important renal replacement therapy (RRT) indication for both nephrologists and PICU physicians (Likert scale from 0 [not important] to 10 [most important]; median = 10, 10, respectively). Nephrologists reported a lower threshold of AKI for increased mortality risk; 38% believed stage 2 AKI was the minimum compared to 17% of PICU physicians and 14% of nurses. Nephrologists were more likely than PICU physicians and nurses to recommend long-term follow-up for patients who develop any AKI during ICU stay (Likert scale from 0 [none] to 10 [all patients]; mean=6.0, 3.8, 3.7, respectively) ( P < .05)., Limitations: Responses from all eligible HCPs in the country could not obtained. There may be differences in opinions between HCPs that completed the survey compared to those that did not. Additionally, the cross-sectional design of our study may not adequately reflect changes in guidelines and knowledge since survey completion, although no specific guidelines have been released in Canada since survey dissemination., Conclusions: Canadian HCP groups have variable perspectives on pediatric AKI management and follow-up. Understanding practice patterns and perspectives will help optimize pediatric AKI follow-up guideline implementation., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Background: Target organ damage (TOD) such as left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), abnormal pulse wave velocity, and elevated carotid intima-media thickness are common among adults with hypertension and are associated with overt cardiovascular events. The risk of TOD among children and adolescents with hypertension confirmed by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is poorly understood. In this systematic review, we compare the risks of TOD among children and adolescents with ambulatory hypertension to normotensive individuals., Methods: A literature search was conducted to include all relevant English-language publications from January 1974 to March 2021. Studies were included if patients underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and ≥1 TOD was reported. Ambulatory hypertension was defined by society guidelines. Primary outcome was the risk of TOD, including LVH, left ventricular mass index, pulse wave velocity, and carotid intima-media thickness among children with ambulatory hypertension compared with those with ambulatory normotension. Meta-regression calculated the effect of body mass index on TOD., Results: Of 12 252 studies, 38 (n=3609 individuals) were included for analysis. Children with ambulatory hypertension had an increased risk of LVH (odds ratio, 4.69 [95% CI, 2.69-8.19]), elevated left ventricular mass index (pooled difference, 5.13 g/m 2.7 ; [95% CI, 3.78-6.49]), elevated pulse wave velocity (pooled difference, 0.39 m/s [95% CI, 0.20-0.58]), and elevated carotid intima-media thickness (pooled difference, 0.04 mm [95% CI, 0.02-0.05]), compared with normotensive children. Meta-regression showed a significant positive effect of body mass index on left ventricular mass index and carotid intima-media thickness., Conclusions: Children with ambulatory hypertension have adverse TOD profiles, which may increase their risk for future cardiovascular disease. This review highlights the importance of optimizing blood pressure control and screening for TOD in children with ambulatory hypertension., Registration: URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/; Unique identifier: CRD42020189359., Competing Interests: Disclosures None.

Hypertension is increasing in children and warrants disease surveillance. We therefore sought to evaluate the validity of case definitions to identify pediatric hypertension in administrative healthcare data. Cases of hypertension in children 3-18 years of age were identified utilizing blood pressures recorded in the Manitoba Primary Care Research Network (MaPCReN) electronic medical record from 2014 to 2016. Prevalence of hypertension and associated clinical characteristics were determined. We then evaluated the validity of 18 case definitions combining outpatient physician visits (ICD9CM codes), hospital claims (ICD9CM/ICD10 codes) and antihypertensive use within 1-3 years of data housed at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. The MaPCReN database identified 241 children with hypertension and 4090 without (prevalence = 5.6%). The sensitivity of algorithms ranged between 0.18 and 0.51 and the specificity between 0.98 and 1.00. Pharmaceutical use increased the sensitivity of algorithms significantly. The algorithms with the highest sensitivity and area under the ROC curve were 1 or more hospitalization OR 1 or more physician claim OR 1 or more pharmaceutical record. Evaluating 2 years of data is recommended. Administrative data alone reflects diagnosis of hypertension with high specificity, but underestimate the true prevalence of this disease. Alternative data sources are therefore required for disease surveillance., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a common kidney disease of childhood, affecting 2-7 children per 100,000. A potentially life-threatening complication affecting children with NS is thromboembolism (TE). However, there remains a paucity of information regarding the burden of TE and its associated risk factors in this population. A systematic review was performed on observational studies examining TE events in children with NS, published in Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and CENTRAL, until May 2021. Meta-analyses were separately conducted on the prevalence of TE within articles exclusively studying children with congenital NS and among articles including all forms of NS. Out of 13,626 articles, 22 were included (14,290 children). The pooled prevalence of symptomatic TE among articles including patients with all forms of NS was 3.60% (95% CI 1.95-5.63), which increased to 8.70% (95% CI 5.11-12.96) in articles with exclusively congenital NS patients. Children with steroid-resistant NS were at a higher risk of TE compared to steroid-sensitive children (OR 4.40, 95% CI 1.34-15.59, p = 0.013). Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis was the most common histology present in patients with TE (51.2%). Children diagnosed with NS have a significant risk of TE, particularly in patients with congenital NS and steroid resistance. IMPACT: The prevalence of symptomatic thromboembolic (TE) events in children with nephrotic syndrome (NS) was 3.60% (95% CI 1.95-5.63), which increased more than two-fold in children with congenital NS to 8.70% (95% CI 5.11-12.96). Potential risk factors for TE events in this population include congenital forms of NS and steroid resistance. This review provides a better estimate of the prevalence of TE in children with NS, while identifying potentially higher-risk populations who may benefit from TE screening and thromboprophylaxis., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the International Pediatric Research Foundation, Inc.)

Background: The risk of cardiovascular events after Kawasaki disease (KD) remains uncertain. Our objective was to determine the risk of cardiovascular events and mortality after KD., Methods: Population-based retrospective cohort study using Ontario health administrative databases (0-18 years; 1995-2018)., Exposure: pediatric KD hospitalizations. Each case was matched to 100 non-exposed controls., Primary Outcome: major adverse cardiac events (MACE; cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke composite)., Secondary Outcomes: composite cardiovascular events and mortality. We determined incidence rates and adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) using multivariable Cox models., Results: Among 4597 KD survivors, 79 (1.7%) experienced MACE, 632 (13.8%) composite cardiovascular events, and 9 (0.2%) died during 11-year median follow-up. The most frequent cardiovascular events among KD survivors were ischemic heart disease (4.6 events/1000 person-years) and arrhythmias (4.5/1000 person-years). KD survivors were at increased risk of MACE between 0-1 and 5-10 years, and composite cardiovascular events at all time periods post-discharge. KD survivors had a lower mortality risk throughout follow-up (aHR 0.36, 95% CI 0.19-0.70)., Conclusion: KD survivors are at increased risk of post-discharge cardiovascular events but have a lower risk of death, which justifies enhanced cardiovascular disease surveillance in these patients., Impact: Among 4597 Kawasaki disease (KD) survivors, 79 (1.7%) experienced major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and 632 (13.8%) had composite cardiovascular events during 11-year median follow-up. KD survivors had significantly higher risks of post-discharge MACE and cardiovascular events versus non-exposed children. Only nine KD survivors (0.2%) died during follow-up, and the risk of mortality was significantly lower among KD survivors versus non-exposed children. Childhood KD survivors should receive preventative counseling and cardiovascular surveillance, aiming to mitigate adult cardiovascular disease., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the International Pediatric Research Foundation, Inc.)

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt migration into the scrotum is a rare phenomenon that has been reported in nearly 35 patients in the literature till date. Genitalia-related complications of ventriculoperitoneal shunts in children like inguinoscrotal migration usually occur during 1 st year of the shunt procedure due to factors like raised abdominal pressure and patency of process vaginalis. We report a case of scrotal migration of tip of ventriculoperitoneal shunt in a 2-month-old infant presenting to us with communicating hydrocephalus. In a patient with inguinoscrotal swelling and ventriculoperitoneal shunt, migration of shunt should be suspected. Prompt diagnosis and management of this condition is important due to various complications like shunt dysfunction and testicular lesions. Treatment of this condition is surgical closure of the patent processes vaginalis and shunt reposition., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 Published by Scientific Scholar on behalf of Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice.)

Introduction The diagnosis of anorectal malformations (ARMs) antenatally is rare, and most of these cases are diagnosed in the neonatal period. The defects range from easily treated minor anomalies with good prognosis to those that are difficult and complex. The associated anomalies in these malformations are important determinants for the prognosis and outcome of these cases. Material and methods  The present study was carried out in the department of pediatric surgery in a tertiary care institute. Patients presenting with ARMs in the neonatal period, those reported for definitive surgery, and patients for colostomy closure surgery were included. Patients who died before surgical treatment were excluded from the study. Convenience sampling of 100 patients who met the inclusion criteria was performed until the sample size was reached. Results Out of 63 cases of high variety, 84.12% were males and 15.87% were females. Out of 37 patients of low variety, 43.24% were males and 56.75% were females. The anomalies of the urogenital system were present in 22 (34.92%) out of 63 cases of high ARMs and 10 (27.02%) out of 37 cases of low ARMs. In the male patients, anocutaneous fistula was in 16 (23.18%) of cases. Out of 31 females in the present study, anorectal agenesis with anovestibular fistula was seen in 19 (61.29%) cases. In the early complications, significant bleeding and urethral injury were seen in one (2.63%) patient each. However, among the late complications, anal stenosis, mucosal prolapse, and wound infection were seen in seven (18.42%), five (13.15%), and four (10.52%) patients, respectively. Conclusion  A holistic approach to the management of ARMs is needed with a long-term goal of achieving urinary and fecal continence with good quality of life. The outcome of surgery is dependent on the specific type of malformation, but the results are better when intervention is done early., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Chanchlani et al.)

Background: Testicular pain or swelling, often referred to as acute scrotum, can have a number of causes and presentations. Testicular torsion is an emergency condition requiring early diagnosis and surgery to salvage the involved testis in order to preserve testicular fertility. The study is aimed to know the incidence, aetiology, and management of acute scrotal conditions with a particular focus on testicular torsion. Epididymorchitis, trauma, and scrotal cellulitis are other causes of acute scrotum which are managed conservatively after proper investigations., Material and Methods:  The authors retrospectively reviewed 10-year epidemiological data of all children age under 14 years admitted to the tertiary care hospital with the diagnosis of acute scrotum. Data were collected about the clinical history, physical examination, biochemical investigations, Doppler ultrasound, and management done., Results:  133 children aged between 0 days and 14 years (mean age, 7.5 years) were found to have acute scrotum out of which 67 (50.37%) patients had epididymitis, 54 (40.60%) patients presented with Torsion testis, three (2.25%) had torsion of testicular appendages, eight (6.01%) had scrotal cellulitis and one (0.75%) presented with a strangulated hernia. Due to late presentation, testis could be salvaged in only eight of the 54 patients with torsion testis. The testicular loss was seen more in bigger children and those with signs of infection in blood reports and colour Doppler showing no blood flow in the testis., Conclusion:  The study results indicate that non-recognition of the severity of paediatric acute scrotum results in late presentation leading to testicular loss. Timely diagnosis will require sensitization of the parents, primary care providers, and paediatricians for this grave condition which leads to permanent testicular loss., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Chanchlani et al.)

Introduction: Patients who survive acute kidney injury (AKI) may receive fewer cardioprotective drugs. Our objective was to measure the difference in time to dispensing of evidence-based cardiovascular drugs in patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) with and without AKI., Methods: This was a population-based cohort study of patients 66 years of age and older with a history of MI who survived a hospitalization complicated with AKI, propensity-score matched to patients without AKI. The primary outcome was time to outpatient dispensing of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi)/angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), statin, or β-blocker within 1 year of hospital discharge., Results: We identified 28,871 patients with AKI, of whom 21,452 were matched 1:1 to patients without AKI. In the matched cohort, mean age was 80 years, 40% were female, and 34% had an MI during the index hospitalization. AKI was associated with less frequent dispensing of all 3 cardiovascular drug classes within 1 year of hospital discharge (subdistribution hazard ratio [sHR], 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.91-0.95). This association was most pronounced in patients with stage 2 (sHR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.75-0.88) and stage 3 (sHR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.64-0.79) AKI. We observed less frequent dispensing of statins in patients with stage 2 (sHR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.81-0.92) and stage 3 (sHR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.78-0.93) AKI and less frequent dispensing of β-blockers in patients with stage 3 AKI (sHR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.79-0.94)., Conclusion: In patients with a history of MI, survivors of AKI were less likely to receive prescriptions for ACEi/ARB, statins, or β-blockers within 1 year of hospital discharge. This association was most pronounced in patients with stages 2 and 3 AKI., (© 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the International Society of Nephrology.)

Background: Approximately 30% of childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) will develop chronic kidney disease (CKD) or hypertension 15 to 20 years after treatment ends. The incidence of CKD and hypertension in the 5-year window after cancer therapy is unknown. Moreover, extent of monitoring of CCS with CKD and associated complications in current practice is underexplored. To inform the development of new and existing care guidelines for CCS, the epidemiology and monitoring of CKD and hypertension in the early period following cancer therapy warrants further investigation., Objective: To describe the design and methods of the KIdney aNd blooD prESsure ouTcomes in Childhood Cancer Survivors study, which aims to evaluate the burden of late kidney and blood pressure outcomes in the first ~10 years after cancer therapy, the extent of appropriate screening and complications monitoring for CKD and hypertension, and whether patient, disease/treatment, or system factors are associated with these outcomes., Design: Two distinct, but related studies; a prospective cohort study and a retrospective cohort study., Setting: Five Ontario pediatric oncology centers., Patients: The prospective study will involve 500 CCS at high risk for these late effects due to cancer therapy, and the retrospective study involves 5,000 CCS ≤ 18 years old treated for cancer between January 2008 and December 2020., Measurements: Chronic kidney disease is defined as Estimated glomerular filtration rate <90 mL/min/1.73 m 2 or albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥ 3mg/mmol. Hypertension is defined by 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines., Methods: Prospective study: we aim to investigate CKD and hypertension prevalence and the extent to which they persist at 3- and 5-year follow-up in CCS after cancer therapy. We will collect detailed biologic and clinical data, calculate CKD and hypertension prevalence, and progression at 3- and 5-years post-therapy. Retrospective study: we aim to investigate CKD and hypertension monitoring using administrative and health record data. We will also investigate the validity of CKD and hypertension administrative definitions in this population and the incidence of CKD and hypertension in the first ~10 years post-cancer therapy. We will investigate whether patient-, disease/treatment-, or system-specific factors modify these associations in both studies., Limitations: Results from the prospective study may not be generalizable to non-high-risk CCS. The retrospective study is susceptible to surveillance bias., Conclusions: Our team and knowledge translation plan is engaging patient partners, researchers, knowledge users, and policy group representatives. Our work will address international priorities to improve CCS health, provide the evidence of new disease burden and practice gaps to improve CCS guidelines, implement and test revised guidelines, plan trials to reduce CKD and hypertension, and improve long-term CCS health., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

Augmented-pressure distal loop colostogram (APDC) is the most important diagnostic investigation to delineate the detailed anatomy to plan the reparative management of anorectal malformations. APDC is generally considered safe, with a very low complication rate. Herein, we present an unreported complication of APDC, manifesting as acute abdomen, due to retained contrast in distal loop. The patient was managed with evacuation of retained contrast from distal loop. We recommend evacuating the contrast from the distal loop following APDC., Competing Interests: None

Importance: Increasing evidence indicates that acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs frequently in children and young adults and is associated with poor short-term and long-term outcomes. Guidance is required to focus efforts related to expansion of pediatric AKI knowledge., Objective: To develop expert-driven pediatric specific recommendations on needed AKI research, education, practice, and advocacy., Evidence Review: At the 26th Acute Disease Quality Initiative meeting conducted in November 2021 by 47 multiprofessional international experts in general pediatrics, nephrology, and critical care, the panel focused on 6 areas: (1) epidemiology; (2) diagnostics; (3) fluid overload; (4) kidney support therapies; (5) biology, pharmacology, and nutrition; and (6) education and advocacy. An objective scientific review and distillation of literature through September 2021 was performed of (1) epidemiology, (2) risk assessment and diagnosis, (3) fluid assessment, (4) kidney support and extracorporeal therapies, (5) pathobiology, nutrition, and pharmacology, and (6) education and advocacy. Using an established modified Delphi process based on existing data, workgroups derived consensus statements with recommendations., Findings: The meeting developed 12 consensus statements and 29 research recommendations. Principal suggestions were to address gaps of knowledge by including data from varying socioeconomic groups, broadening definition of AKI phenotypes, adjudicating fluid balance by disease severity, integrating biopathology of child growth and development, and partnering with families and communities in AKI advocacy., Conclusions and Relevance: Existing evidence across observational study supports further efforts to increase knowledge related to AKI in childhood. Significant gaps of knowledge may be addressed by focused efforts.

Background: Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the South Asian community in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) was identified as having risk factors for exposure and specific barriers to accessing testing and reliable health information, rendering them particularly vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection. We sought to investigate the burden of SARS-CoV-2 infection among South Asian people in the GTA, and to characterize the demographic characteristics, risk perceptions and trusted sources of health information in this group., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis from the baseline assessment of participants in a prospective cohort study. Participants from the GTA were enrolled from Apr. 14 to July 28, 2021. Seropositivity for antispike and antinucleocapsid antibodies was determined from dried blood spots, and estimates of seropositivity were age and sex standardized to the South Asian population in Ontario. Demographic characteristics, risk perceptions and sources of COVID-19 information were collected via questionnaire and reported descriptively., Results: Among the 916 South Asian participants enrolled (mean age 41 yr), the age- and sex-standardized seropositivity was 23.6% (95% confidence interval 20.8%-26.4%). Of the 693 respondents to the questionnaire, 228 (32.9%) identified as essential workers, and 125 (19.1%) reported living in a multigenerational household. A total of 288 (49.4%) perceived that they were at high COVID-19 risk owing to their geographic location, and 149 (34.3%) owing to their type of employment. The top 3 most trusted sources of information related to COVID-19 included health care providers and public health, traditional media sources and social media., Interpretation: By the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, about one-quarter of a sample of South Asian individuals in Ontario had serologic evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Insight into factors that put certain populations at risk can help future pandemic planning and disease control efforts., Competing Interests: Competing interests: Shelly Bolotin is co-investigator on several COVID-19 grants funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, the Canadian Immunization Research Network and the Public Health Agency of Canada. She is director of the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases at the University of Toronto; the centre is supported by the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH), which receives funding from government, philanthropic, not-for-profit and private sector organizations. Private sector funding sources include vaccine manufacturers. A set of governance processes are in place at the DLSPH to ensure independent operation of the centre. All funding is received under agreements that are aligned with policies of the University of Toronto and DLSPH that safeguard academic freedom of faculty and students. Decisions on private sector support are made in consultation with the dean, relevant faculty and the Office of Advancement. In addition, the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases receives oversight from the dean of the DLSPH and a Senior Advisory Committee of the University of Toronto. Mark Loeb has received vaccine advisory board consulting fees from Seqirus, Pfizer, Merck, Sanofi and Medicago; grant funding for a vaccine trial from Seqirus; and in-kind vaccine from Sanofi for a trial. He is on the Vaccine Data Safety Monitoring Board for Medicago, National Institutes of Health NIH and CanSino Biologics., (© 2022 CMA Impact Inc. or its licensors.)

Esophageal lung is a type of Group-II communicating bronchopulmonary foregut malformations (CBPFM) usually diagnosed beyond neonatal period during investigation for recurrent respiratory symptoms and persistent radiographic features suggesting pneumonia or bronchiectasis. In our case, we noticed bronchiectasis and disproportionately severe volume loss in an infant with associated multisystem anomalies in the absence of "significant" lower respiratory tract symptoms. A detailed evaluation with repeat imaging confirmed a Group-II CBPFM, a congenital pathology instead of an infective cause. Pneumonectomy is a more prudent option instead of undertaking major airway reconstruction for the dysplastic "dysfunctional" tissue. Amongst the various associated anomalies reported till now, the associated rib and renal anomalies noted by us have not been described earlier to the best of our knowledge.

Background: We aimed to study the association of suspected versus confirmed infection with the novel SARS-CoV2 virus with the prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill children., Methods: Sequential point-prevalence study of children and young adults aged 7 days to 25 years admitted to intensive care units under investigation for SARS-CoV2 infection. AKI was staged in the first 14 days of enrollment using KDIGO creatinine-based staging. SARS-CoV2 positive (CONFIRMED) were compared to SUSPECTED (negative or unknown). Outcome data was censored at 28-days., Results: In 331 patients of both sexes, 179 (54.1%) were CONFIRMED, 4.2% (14) died. AKI occurred in 124 (37.5%) and severe AKI occurred in 63 (19.0%). Incidence of AKI in CONFIRMED was 74/179 (41.3%) versus 50/152 (32.9%) for SUSPECTED; severe AKI occurred in 35 (19.6%) of CONFIRMED and 28 (18.4%) of SUSPECTED. Mortality was 6.2% (n = 11) in CONFIRMED, but 9.5% (n = 7) in those CONFIRMED with AKI. On multivariable analysis, only Hispanic ethnicity (relative risk 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.9) was associated with less AKI development among those CONFIRMED., Conclusions: AKI and severe AKI occur commonly in critically ill children with SARS-CoV2 infection, more than double the historical standard. Further investigation is needed during this continuing pandemic to describe and refine the understanding of pediatric AKI epidemiology and outcomes., Trial Registration: NCT01987921., Impact: What is the key message of the article? AKI occurs in children exposed to the novel SARS-CoV2 virus at high prevalence (~40% with some form of AKI and 20% with severe AKI). What does it add to the existing literature? Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs commonly in adult patients with SARS-CoV2 (COVID), very little data describes the epidemiology of AKI in children exposed to the virus. What is the impact? A pediatric vaccine is not available; thus, the pandemic is not over for children. Pediatricians will need to manage significant end-organ ramifications of the novel SARS-CoV2 virus including AKI., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the International Pediatric Research Foundation, Inc.)

Objectives: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an immune-mediated vasculitis of childhood with multi-organ inflammation. We determined the risk of subsequent immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID), including arthritis, type 1 diabetes, IBD, autoimmune liver disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis and multiple sclerosis., Methods: We conducted a matched population-based cohort study using health administrative data from Ontario, Canada. Children aged <18 years born between 1991 and 2016 diagnosed with KD (n = 3753) were matched to 5 non-KD controls from the general population (n = 18 749). We determined the incidence of IMIDs after resolution of KD. Three- and 12-month washout periods were used to exclude KD-related symptoms., Results: There was an elevated risk of arthritis in KD patients compared with non-KD controls, starting 3 months after index date [103.0 vs 12.7 per 100 000 person-years (PYs); incidence rate ratio 8.07 (95% CI 4.95, 13.2); hazard ratio 8.08 (95% CI 4.95, 13.2), resulting in the overall incidence of IMIDs being elevated in KD patients (175.1 vs 68.0 per 100 000 PYs; incidence rate ratio 2.58 (95% CI 1.93, 3.43); hazard ratio 2.58, 95% CI 1.94, 3.43]. However, there was no increased risk for diabetes, IBD, autoimmune liver disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis or multiple sclerosis in KD patients. Similar results were observed using a 12-month washout period., Conclusion: Children diagnosed with KD were at increased risk of arthritis following the acute KD event, but not other IMIDs. Health-care providers should monitor for arthritis in children following a diagnosis of KD., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Hypertension is one of the most common causes of preventable death worldwide. The prevalence of pediatric hypertension has increased significantly in recent decades. The cause of this is likely multifactorial, related to increasing childhood obesity, high dietary sodium intake, sedentary lifestyles, perinatal factors, familial aggregation, socioeconomic factors, and ethnic blood pressure (BP) differences. Pediatric hypertension represents a major public health threat. Uncontrolled pediatric hypertension is associated with subclinical cardiovascular disease and adult-onset hypertension. In children with chronic kidney disease (CKD), hypertension is also a strong risk factor for progression to kidney failure. Despite these risks, current rates of pediatric BP screening, hypertension detection, treatment, and control remain suboptimal. Contributing to these shortcomings are the challenges of accurately measuring pediatric BP, limited access to validated pediatric equipment and hypertension specialists, complex interpretation of pediatric BP measurements, problematic normative BP data, and conflicting society guidelines for pediatric hypertension. To date, limited pediatric hypertension research has been conducted to help address these challenges. However, there are several promising signs in the field of pediatric hypertension. There is greater attention being drawn on the cardiovascular risks of pediatric hypertension, more emphasis on the need for childhood BP screening and management, new public health initiatives being implemented, and increasing research interest and funding. This article summarizes what is currently known about pediatric hypertension, the existing knowledge-practice gaps, and ongoing research aimed at improving future kidney and cardiovascular health., (© 2022 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objectives: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a common childhood vasculitis with increasing incidence in Canada. Acute KD hospitalizations are associated with high health care costs. However, there is minimal health care utilization data following initial hospitalization. Our objective was to determine rates of health care utilization and costs following KD diagnosis., Methods: We used population-based health administrative databases to identify all children (0 to 18 years) hospitalized for KD in Ontario between 1995 and 2018. Each case was matched to 100 nonexposed comparators by age, sex, and index year. Follow-up continued until death or March 2019. Our primary outcomes were rates of hospitalization, emergency department (ED), and outpatient physician visits. Our secondary outcomes were sector-specific and total health care costs., Results: We compared 4,597 KD cases to 459,700 matched comparators. KD cases had higher rates of hospitalization (adjusted rate ratio 2.07, 95%CI 2.00 to 2.15), outpatient visits (1.30, 95%CI 1.28 to 1.33), and ED visits (1.22, 95%CI 1.18 to 1.26) throughout follow-up. Within 1 year post-discharge, 717 (15.6%) KD cases were re-hospitalized, 4,587 (99.8%) had ≥1 outpatient physician visit and 1,695 (45.5%) had ≥1 ED visit. KD cases had higher composite health care costs post-discharge (e.g., median cost within 1 year: $2466 CAD [KD cases] versus $234 [comparators]). Total health care costs for KD cases, respectively, were $13.9 million within 1 year post-discharge and $54.8 million throughout follow-up (versus $2.2 million and $23.9 million for an equivalent number of comparators)., Conclusions: Following diagnosis, KD cases had higher rates of health care utilization and costs versus nonexposed children. The rising incidence and costs associated with KD could place a significant burden on health care systems., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Canadian Paediatric Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com© Les auteurs 2022. Publié par Oxford University Press pour le compte de la Société canadienne de pédiatrie. Tous droits réservés. Pour obtenir une autorisation, écrivez à journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: The global prevalence of hypertension in children and adolescents has increased over the past 2 decades and is the strongest predictor of adult hypertension. South Asians have an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome associated risk factors including abdominal obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. All these factors contribute to their increased cardiovascular disease burden. Accurate and early identification of hypertension in South Asian children is a necessary aspect of cardiovascular disease prevention. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is considered the gold-standard for pediatric blood pressure (BP) measurement. However, its utilization is limited due to the lack of validated normative reference data in diverse, multiethnic pediatric populations., Objective: The primary objective is to establish normative height-sex and age-sex-specific reference values for 24-h ABPM measurements among South Asian children and adolescents (aged 5-17 years) in Ontario and British Columbia, Canada. Secondary objectives are to evaluate differences in ABPM measurements by body mass index classification, to compare our normative data against pre-existing data from German and Hong Kong cohorts, and to evaluate relationships between habitual movement behaviors, diet quality, and ABPM measurements., Design: Cross-sectional study, quasi-representative sample., Setting: Participants will be recruited from schools, community centers, and places of worship in Southern Ontario (Greater Toronto and Hamilton area, including the Peel Region) and Greater Vancouver, British Columbia., Participants: We aim to recruit 2113 nonoverweight children (aged 5-17 years) for the primary objective. We aim to recruit an additional 633 overweight or obese children to address the secondary objectives., Measurements: Ambulatory BP monitoring measurements will be obtained using Spacelabs 90217 ABPM devices, which are validated for pediatric use. The ActiGraph GT3X-BT accelerometer, which has also been validated for pediatric use, will be used to obtain movement behavior data., Methods: Following recruitment, eligible children will be fitted with 24-h ABPM and physical activity monitors. Body anthropometrics and questionnaire data regarding medical and family history, medications, diet, physical activity, and substance use will be collected. Ambulatory BP monitoring data will be used to develop height-sex- and age-sex-specific normative reference values for South Asian children. Secondary objectives include evaluating differences in ABPM measures between normal weight, overweight and obese children; and comparing our South Asian ABPM data to existing German and Hong Kong data. We will also use compositional data analysis to evaluate associations between a child's habitual movement behaviors and ABPM measures., Limitations: Bloodwork will not be performed to facilitate recruitment. A non-South Asian comparator cohort will not be included due to feasibility concerns. Using a convenience sampling approach introduces the potential for selection bias., Conclusions: Ambulatory BP monitoring is a valuable tool for the identification and follow-up of pediatric hypertension and overcomes many of the limitations of office-based BP measurement. The development of normative ABPM data specific to South Asian children will increase the accuracy of BP measurement and hypertension identification in this at-risk population, providing an additional strategy for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2022.)