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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]

Importance: Cyclophosphamide and calcineurin inhibitors are the most used nonsteroid immunosuppressive medications globally for children with various chronic inflammatory conditions. Their comparative effectiveness remains uncertain, leading to worldwide practice variation. Nephrotic syndrome is the most common kidney disease managed by pediatricians globally and suboptimal treatment is associated with high morbidity., Objective: To evaluate the comparative effectiveness of cyclophosphamide vs calcineurin inhibitors (tacrolimus or cyclosporine) for childhood nephrotic syndrome relapse prevention., Design, Setting, and Participants: Using target trial emulation methods, the study team emulated a pragmatic, open-label clinical trial using available data from the Insight Into Nephrotic Syndrome: Investigating Genes, Health, and Therapeutics (INSIGHT) study. INSIGHT is a multicenter, prospective cohort study in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. Participants included children (1 to 18 years) with steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome diagnosed between 1996 and 2019 from the Greater Toronto Area, who initiated cyclophosphamide or a calcineurin inhibitor treatment. Data analysis was performed in 2024., Exposures: Incident cyclophosphamide or calcineurin inhibitor treatment. Randomization was emulated by overlap weighting of propensity scores for treatment assignment., Main Outcomes: The primary outcome was time to relapse, analyzed by weighted Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards models. Secondary outcomes included relapse rates, subsequent immunosuppression, kidney function, hypertension, adverse events, and quality of life., Results: Of 578 children (median age at diagnosis, 3.7 [IQR, 2.8-6.0] years; 371 male [64%] and 207 female [36%]), 252 initiated cyclophosphamide, 131 initiated calcineurin inhibitors, and 87 sequentially initiated both medications. Baseline characteristics were well balanced after propensity score weighting. During median 5.5-year (quarter 1 to quarter 3, 2.5-9.2) follow-up, there was no significant difference in time to relapse between calcineurin inhibitor vs cyclophosphamide treatment (hazard ratio [HR], 1.25; 95% CI, 0.84-1.87). Relapses were more common after calcineurin inhibitor treatment than cyclophosphamide (85% vs 73%) in the weighted cohorts, but not statistically significant. There were also no significant differences in subsequent relapse rates, nonsteroid immunosuppression use, or kidney function between medications. Calcineurin inhibitor treatment was associated with more hospitalizations (HR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.14-2.92) and intravenous albumin use (HR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.65-4.81)., Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, there was no evidence of difference in time to relapse after cyclophosphamide and calcineurin inhibitor treatment in children with nephrotic syndrome. Cyclophosphamide treatment is shorter in duration and more accessible globally than calcineurin inhibitors.

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.)

The utilization of extracorporeal renal replacement therapy (RRT), including continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and hemodialysis (HD), beyond the treatment of volume overload and acute kidney injury (AKI) has witnessed a significant shift, demonstrating the potential to improve patient outcomes for a range of diseases. This comprehensive review explores the non-kidney applications for RRT platforms in critically ill children, focusing on diverse clinical scenarios such as sepsis, inborn errors of metabolism, liver failure, drug overdose, tumor lysis syndrome, and rhabdomyolysis. In the context of sepsis and septic shock, RRT not only facilitates fluid, electrolyte, and acid/base homeostasis, but may offer benefits in cytokine regulation, endotoxin clearance, and immunomodulation which may improve multi-organ dysfunction as well as hemodynamic challenges posed by this life-threatening condition. RRT modalities also have an important role in caring for children with inborn errors of metabolism, liver failure, and tumor lysis syndrome as they can control metabolic derangements with the efficient clearance of endogenous toxins in affected children. In cases of drug overdose, RRT is a crucial tool for rapid extracorporeal clearance of exogenous toxins, mitigating potential organ damage. The intricate interplay between liver failure and kidney function is examined, elucidating the role of RRT and plasma exchange in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance when hepatic dysfunction complicates the clinical picture. Furthermore, RRT and HD are explored in the context of rhabdomyolysis, highlighting their utility in addressing AKI secondary to traumatic events and crush syndrome., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: For full disclosure, we provide here an additional list of other author’s commitments and funding sources that are not directly related to this study: David J Askenazi is a consultant for Baxter, Nuwellis, Seastar, Bioporto, and Abbott. Over the last 24 months, his institution has received funding for education and research that is not related to this project from NIH, Baxter, Nuwellis, Bioporto, Portero, Leadiant, and Seastar. He has financial interests in patent/innovations in kidney support therapies and urine collection devices. He is the Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Zorro-Flow Inc. Jolyn Morgan is a consultant for Mozarc Medical., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Despite increasing prevalence of hypertension in youth and high adult cardiovascular mortality rates, the long-term consequences of youth-onset hypertension remain unknown. This is due to limitations of prior research, such as small sample sizes, reliance on manual record review, and limited analytic methods, that did not address major biases. The Study of the Epidemiology of Pediatric Hypertension (SUPERHERO) is a multisite, retrospective registry of youth evaluated by subspecialists for hypertension disorders. Sites obtain harmonized electronic health record data using standardized biomedical informatics scripts validated with randomized manual record review. Inclusion criteria are index visit for International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) code-defined hypertension disorder on or after January 1, 2015, and age < 19 years. We exclude patients with ICD-10 code-defined pregnancy, kidney failure on dialysis, or kidney transplantation. Data include demographics, anthropomorphics, US Census Bureau tract, histories, blood pressure, ICD-10 codes, medications, laboratory and imaging results, and ambulatory blood pressure. SUPERHERO leverages expertise in epidemiology, statistics, clinical care, and biomedical informatics to create the largest and most diverse registry of youth with newly diagnosed hypertension disorders. SUPERHERO's goals are to reduce CVD burden across the life course and establish gold-standard biomedical informatics methods for youth with hypertension disorders., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.)

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.)

Background: Steroid-sparing immunosuppression is used in 50% of children with nephrotic syndrome, to prevent relapses and steroid-related toxicity. However, rates and predictors of prolonged remission after cyclophosphamide and tacrolimus are uncertain., Methods: Retrospective analysis of children (1-18 years) enrolled in a longitudinal cohort. We included children diagnosed with steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome between 1996-2019 from Toronto, Canada. The exposure was cyclophosphamide or tacrolimus initiation. The primary outcome was prolonged remission (no further relapse or steroid-sparing immunosuppression). We evaluated predictors of prolonged remission and calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity by logistic regression., Results: Of 578 children with steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome, 252 received cyclophosphamide and 120 received tacrolimus. Over median 5.4-year (IQR 2.4-9.1) follow-up, prolonged remission occurred in 72 (28.6%) after cyclophosphamide and 17 (14.2%) after tacrolimus. Relapse frequency decreased after initiation of either medication. Lower prior relapse rate, more recent treatment era, and female sex were predictive of prolonged remission after cyclophosphamide treatment. Use of tacrolimus as the first steroid-sparing medication was the only factor predictive of calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity., Conclusions: Less than one-third of children achieve prolonged remission after initiating cyclophosphamide or tacrolimus, although both reduce short-term relapse rates. Few factors predict prolonged remission after cyclophosphamide or tacrolimus use, or calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity., Competing Interests: Declarations. Research ethics and consent: Research ethics approval for INSIGHT was obtained from The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, Canada). Informed consent for the study was obtained from all participants. Disclosures: All authors declare no real or perceived conflicts of interest that could affect the study design, collection, analysis and interpretation of data, writing of the report, or the decision to submit for publication., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Pediatric Nephrology Association.)

Background: Children with nephrotic syndrome are at risk of obesity and growth impairment from repeated steroid treatment. However, incidence and risk factors for obesity and short stature remain uncertain, which is a barrier to preventative care. Our aim was to determine risk, timing, and predictors of obesity and short stature among children with nephrotic syndrome., Methods: We evaluated obesity and longitudinal growth among children (1-18 years) enrolled in Insight into Nephrotic Syndrome: Investigating Genes, Health, and Therapeutics. We included children with nephrotic syndrome diagnosed between 1996-2019 from the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, excluding congenital or secondary nephrotic syndrome. Primary outcomes were obesity (body mass index Z-score ≥  + 2) and short stature (height Z-score ≤ -2). We evaluated prevalence of obesity and short stature at enrolment (< 1-year from diagnosis) and incidence during follow-up. Cox proportional hazards models determined the association between nephrotic syndrome classification and new-onset obesity and short stature., Results: We included 531 children with nephrotic syndrome (30% frequently relapsing by 1-year). At enrolment, obesity prevalence was 23.5%, 51.8% were overweight, and 4.9% had short stature. Cumulative incidence of new-onset obesity and short stature over median 4.1-year follow-up was 17.7% and 3.3% respectively. Children with frequently relapsing or steroid dependent nephrotic syndrome within 1-year of diagnosis were at increased risk of new-onset short stature (unadjusted hazard ratio 3.99, 95%CI 1.26-12.62) but not obesity (adjusted hazard ratio 1.56, 95%CI 0.95-2.56). Children with ≥ 7 and ≥ 15 total relapses were more likely to develop obesity and short stature, respectively., Conclusions: Obesity is common among children with nephrotic syndrome early after diagnosis. Although short stature was uncommon overall, children with frequently relapsing or steroid dependent disease are at increased risk of developing short stature. Effective relapse prevention may reduce steroid toxicity and the risk of developing obesity or short stature., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Pediatric Nephrology Association.)

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.)

Importance: Hypertension affects 6% of all children, and its prevalence is increasing. Childhood hypertension tracks into adulthood and is associated with subclinical cardiovascular disease; however, there is a lack of evidence linking childhood hypertension to cardiovascular outcomes, which may contribute to underdiagnosis and undertreatment., Objective: To determine the long-term associated risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) among children diagnosed with hypertension., Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a population-based, retrospective, matched cohort study conducted from 1996 to 2022. The study included all children (aged 3-18 years) alive in Ontario, Canada, from 1996 to 2021, who were identified using provincial administrative health databases. Children with prior kidney replacement therapy were excluded., Exposure: Incident hypertension diagnosis, identified by validated case definitions using diagnostic and physician billing claims. Each case was matched with 5 controls without hypertension by age, sex, birth weight, maternal gestational hypertension, prior comorbidities (chronic kidney disease, diabetes, cardiovascular surgery), and a propensity score for hypertension., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was MACE (a composite of cardiovascular death, stroke, hospitalization for myocardial infarction or unstable angina, or coronary intervention). Time to MACE was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression., Results: A total of 25 605 children (median [IQR] age, 15 [11-17] years; 14 743 male [57.6%]) with hypertension were matched to 128 025 controls without hypertension. Baseline covariates were balanced after propensity score matching, and prior comorbidities were uncommon (hypertension vs control cohort: malignancy, 1451 [5.7%] vs 7908 [6.2%]; congenital heart disease, 1089 [4.3%] vs 5408 [4.2%]; diabetes, 482 [1.9%] vs 2410 [1.9%]). During a median (IQR) of 13.6 (7.8-19.5) years of follow-up, incidence of MACE was 4.6 per 1000 person-years in children with hypertension vs 2.2 per 1000 person-years in controls (hazard ratio, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.9-2.2). Children with hypertension were at higher associated risk of stroke, hospitalization for myocardial infarction or unstable angina, coronary intervention, and congestive heart failure, but not cardiovascular death, compared with nonhypertensive controls., Conclusions and Relevance: Children diagnosed with hypertension had a higher associated long-term risk of MACE compared with controls without hypertension. Improved detection, follow-up, and control of pediatric hypertension may reduce the risk of adult cardiovascular disease.

Local estrogen therapy has been explored as an alternative to conventional testosterone therapy in children requiring urethroplasty for hypospadias. Our objective is to evaluate if preoperative estrogen stimulation reduces post-urethroplasty complications and enhances penile dimensions. A systematic search was conducted on various databases, selecting only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that tested estrogen on hypospadias patients under 18 years. Articles underwent sorting following PRISMA guidelines and bias risk was assessed using the JBI clinical appraisal tool for RCTs. Out of 607 screened records, 10 underwent full-text review, and 4 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were selected for analysis. The total patient cohort across studies was 387 with 174 in the estrogen group. All studies utilized topical estrogen, but in different formulations and timings. Prudence is necessary for interpreting results due to variations in formulation, timing, and hypospadias type across studies. Limited by a small number of studies and outcome presentation non-uniformity, the review suggests no change in penile dimensions or postoperative complications with topical estrogen. Further research is needed to explore wound-healing properties of estrogen in hypospadias through animal and human studies.Registration and protocol: Registered in Prospero CRD42024502183., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The International Society of Nephrology Global Kidney Health Atlas charts the availability and capacity of kidney care globally. In the North America and the Caribbean region, the Atlas can identify opportunities for kidney care improvement, particularly in Caribbean countries where structures for systematic data collection are lacking. In this third iteration, respondents from 12 of 18 countries from the region reported a 2-fold higher than global median prevalence of dialysis and transplantation, and a 3-fold higher than global median prevalence of dialysis centers. The peritoneal dialysis prevalence was lower than the global median, and transplantation data were missing from 6 of the 10 Caribbean countries. Government-funded payments predominated for dialysis modalities, with greater heterogeneity in transplantation payor mix. Services for chronic kidney disease, such as monitoring of anemia and blood pressure, and diagnostic capability relying on serum creatinine and urinalyses were universally available. Notable exceptions in Caribbean countries included non-calcium-based phosphate binders and kidney biopsy services. Personnel shortages were reported across the region. Kidney failure was identified as a governmental priority more commonly than was chronic kidney disease or acute kidney injury. In this generally affluent region, patients have better access to kidney replacement therapy and chronic kidney disease-related services than in much of the world. Yet clear heterogeneity exists, especially among the Caribbean countries struggling with dialysis and personnel capacity. Important steps to improve kidney care in the region include increased emphasis on preventive care, a focus on home-based modalities and transplantation, and solutions to train and retain specialized allied health professionals., (© 2024 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

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.)

Pediatric acute kidney support therapy (paKST) programs aim to reliably provide safe, effective, and timely extracorporeal supportive care for acutely and critically ill pediatric patients with acute kidney injury (AKI), fluid and electrolyte derangements, and/or toxin accumulation with a goal of improving both hospital-based and lifelong outcomes. Little is known about optimal ways to configure paKST teams and programs, pediatric-specific aspects of delivering high-quality paKST, strategies for transitioning from acute continuous modes of paKST to facilitate rehabilitation, or providing effective short- and long-term follow-up. As part of the 26th Acute Disease Quality Initiative Conference, the first to focus on a pediatric population, we summarize here the current state of knowledge in paKST programs and technology, identify key knowledge gaps in the field, and propose a framework for current best practices and future research in paKST., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is independently associated with increased morbidity and mortality across the life course, yet care for AKI remains mostly supportive. Raising awareness of this life-threatening clinical syndrome through education and advocacy efforts is the key to improving patient outcomes. Here, we describe the unique roles education and advocacy play in the care of children with AKI, discuss the importance of customizing educational outreach efforts to individual groups and contexts, and highlight the opportunities created through innovations and partnerships to optimize lifelong health outcomes., Methods: During the 26th Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) consensus conference, a multidisciplinary group of experts discussed the evidence and used a modified Delphi process to achieve consensus on recommendations on AKI research, education, practice, and advocacy in children., Results: The consensus statements developed in response to three critical questions about the role of education and advocacy in pediatric AKI care are presented here along with a summary of available evidence and recommendations for both clinical care and research., Conclusions: These consensus statements emphasize that high-quality care for patients with AKI begins in the community with education and awareness campaigns to identify those at risk for AKI. Education is the key across all healthcare and non-healthcare settings to enhance early diagnosis and develop mitigation strategies, thereby improving outcomes for children with AKI. Strong advocacy efforts are essential for implementing these programs and building critical collaborations across all stakeholders and settings., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

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.

Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is the preferred method for renal support in critically ill and hemodynamically unstable children in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) as it allows for gentle removal of fluids and solutes. The most frequent indications for CRRT include acute kidney injury (AKI) and fluid overload (FO) as well as non-renal indications such as removal of toxic metabolites in acute liver failure, inborn errors of metabolism, and intoxications and removal of inflammatory mediators in sepsis. AKI and/or FO are common in critically ill children and their presence is associated with worse outcomes. Therefore, early recognition of AKI and FO is important and timely transfer of patients who might require CRRT to a center with institutional expertise should be considered. Although CRRT has been increasingly used in the critical care setting, due to the lack of standardized recommendations, wide practice variations exist regarding the main aspects of CRRT application in critically ill children.     Conclusion: In this review, from the Critical Care Nephrology section of the European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care (ESPNIC), we summarize the key aspects of CRRT delivery and highlight the importance of adequate follow up among AKI survivors which might be of relevance for the general pediatric community. What is Known: • CRRT is the preferred method of renal support in critically ill and hemodynamically unstable children in the PICU as it allows for gentle removal of fluids and solutes. • Although CRRT has become an important and integral part of modern pediatric critical care, wide practice variations exist in all aspects of CRRT. What is New: • Given the lack of literature on guidance for a general pediatrician on when to refer a child for CRRT, we recommend timely transfer to a center with institutional expertise in CRRT, as both worsening AKI and FO have been associated with increased mortality. • Adequate follow-up of PICU patients with AKI and CRRT is highlighted as recent findings demonstrate that these children are at increased risk for adverse long-term outcomes., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objective: To describe the blood pressure outcomes of infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with idiopathic (nonsecondary) hypertension (HTN) who were discharged on antihypertensive therapy., Study Design: Retrospective, multicenter study of 14 centers within the Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium. We included all infants with a diagnosis of idiopathic HTN discharged from the NICU on antihypertensive treatment. The primary outcome was time to discontinuation of antihypertensive therapy, grouped into (≤6 months, >6 months to 1 year, and >1 year). Comparisons between groups were made with χ 2 tests, Fisher's exact tests, and ANOVA., Results: Data from 118 infants (66% male) were included. Calcium channel blockers were the most prescribed class of antihypertensives (56%) in the cohort. The percentages remaining on antihypertensives after NICU discharge were 60% at 6 months, 26% at 1 year, and 7% at 2 years. Antenatal steroid treatment was associated with decreased likelihood of antihypertensive therapy >1 year after discharge., Conclusions: This multicenter study reports that most infants admitted to the NICU diagnosed with idiopathic HTN will discontinue antihypertensive treatment by 2 years after NICU discharge. These data provide important insights into the outcome of neonatal HTN, but should be confirmed prospectively., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest M.S. was supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney DiseasesT32DK007662 and National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Grant numbers: K12TR004415. The funding sources for this study had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication. The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

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.

Objective: This study examined a 2-year period after diagnosis of an eating disorder to compare health care utilization in diagnostic subgroups including: anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge-eating disorder (BED), avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and other specified eating disorders (Other)., Method: We conducted a retrospective study of children diagnosed with AN (n = 674), BN (n = 230), BED (n = 59), ARFID (n = 171), and Other (n = 315). We used a general population cohort for comparison, matched 5:1 to the diagnostic subgroups on sex and birth date. We then conducted a separate analysis using the ARFID subgroup as a reference group compared to the other subgroups. Outcomes were determined using data linkage with health administrative databases and included hospitalizations, emergency department, general practitioner, psychiatry, and pediatrician visits. Odds ratios (dichotomous outcomes) and rate ratios (continuous outcome) were calculated., Results: Mental health care utilization was higher for all subgroups compared to the general population. When the subgroups were compared to the ARFID subgroup, those with ARFID appeared to have similar health care utilization to the other subgroups, except when compared to those with AN. The AN subgroup had higher odds of a mental health related hospitalization (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.04-2.5) higher rates of mental health related pediatrician visits (RR 1.76, 95% CI 1.26-2.46) and psychiatry visits (RR 1.69, 95% CI 1.07-2.68)., Conclusions: Those with ARFID have similar utilization as other subtypes of eating disorders, except when compared to those with AN who have higher health care utilization., Public Significance: Our study found that the health service needs of young people with all types of eating disorders are substantially higher than the general population, and it appears that Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) has similar health care utilization to other eating disorders., (© 2023 The Authors. International Journal of Eating Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

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: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is among the most common inherited kidney diseases. Hypertension is a frequent cardiovascular manifestation, especially in adults, but elevated blood pressure is also found in children and adolescents. Acknowledgment of pediatric hypertension early is critical, as it can result in serious complications long-term if left undiagnosed., Objective: We aim to identify the influence of hypertension on cardiovascular outcomes, mainly left ventricular hypertrophy, carotid intima media thickness, and pulse wave velocity., Methods: We performed an extensive search on Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases through March 2021. Original studies with a mix of retrospective, prospective, case-control studies, cross sectional studies, and observational studies were included in the review. There was no restriction on age group., Results: The preliminary search yielded 545 articles with 15 articles included after inclusion and exclusion criteria. In this meta-analysis, LVMI (SMD: 3.47 (95% CI: 0.53-6.41)) and PWV (SMD: 1.72 (95% CI: 0.08-3.36)) were found to be significantly higher in adults with ADPKD compared to non-ADPKD; however, CIMT was not found to be significantly different. Also, LVMI was observed to be significantly higher among hypertensive adults with ADPKD (n = 56) as compared to adults without ADPKD (SMD: 1.43 (95% CI: 1.08-1.79)). Fewer pediatric studies were available with heterogeneity among patient populations and results., Conclusions: Adult patients with ADPKD were found to have worse indicators of cardiovascular outcomes, including LVMI and PWV, as compared to non-ADPKD. This study demonstrates the importance of identifying and managing hypertension, especially early, in this population. Further research, particularly in younger patients, is necessary to further elucidate the relationship between hypertension in patients with ADPKD and cardiovascular disease., Registration Number: PROSPERO REGISTRATION: 343,013., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Pediatric Nephrology Association.)