Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Modelling correlated count data with covariates

We introduce an approach for incorporating dependence between outcomes from a Poisson regression model, with the possibility of incorporating covariate information. In common with other approaches, we use a latent process to induce correlation between outcomes. Previous approaches have modelled the Poisson parameter as a function of a latent process which is assumed to be log-normally distributed. Dependence is introduced by the mean of this normal distribution being a function of previous values, using either an auto-regressive process or random walk process. Instead, we use a gamma distribution for the latent variable with the fundamental difference being that instead of the rate of the Poisson distribution at a particular location (in time or space) being directly associated with the value of the latent variable at that location, the latent variables lie on the boundaries between the locations. The rate for a particular location is then modelled as a combination of the latent variables lying on its boundaries; this combination induces correlation between the rates, and thus the outcomes. The attraction of such an approach is the ease of working with a Poisson-gamma set-up in which exact expressions for expectations, variances and covariances are available

Alzheimer's Aß42 oligomers but not fibrils simultaneously bind to and cause damage to ganglioside containing lipid membranes.

International audienceAmyloid-Beta peptide (Ab) assembles to form amyloid fibres that accumulate in senile plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The major constituent, a 42-residue Ab peptide, has the propensity to assemble and form soluble and potentially cytotoxic oligomers as well as ordered, stable amyloid fibres. It is widely believed that the cytotoxicity is a result of the formation of transient soluble oligomers. This observed toxicity maybe associated with the ability of oligomers to associate with and cause permeation of lipid membranes. Here, we have investigated the ability of oligomeric and fibrillar Ab42 to simultaneously associate with and affect the integrity of biomimetic membranes in vitro. Surface Plasmon field enhanced Fluorescence spectroscopy reveals that the binding of the freshly dissolved, oligomeric 42-residue peptide binds with a two-step association with the lipid bilayer and causes disruption of the membrane resulting in leakage from vesicles. In contrast, fibrils bind with a 2-fold reduced avidity and their addition results in around 2-fold less fluorophore leakage compared to oligomeric Ab. Binding of the oligomers may be in part mediated by the GM1 ganglioside receptors showing a 1.8-fold increase in oligomeric Ab binding and a 2-fold increase in permeation compared to when GM1 is not present. Atomic Force Microscopy reveals the formation of defects and holes in response to oligomeric Ab, but not preformed fibrillar Ab. Our results indicate significant membrane disruption arises from association of low molecular weight Ab and this may be mediated by mechanical damage to the membranes by Ab aggregation. This membrane disruption may play a key role in the mechanism Ab-related cell toxicity in Alzheimer's disease

An epitope-based approach of HLA-matched platelets for transfusion:A noninferiority crossover randomized trial

Platelet transfusion refractoriness results in adverse outcomes and increased health care costs. Managing refractoriness resulting from HLA alloimmunization necessitates the use of HLA antigen–matched platelets but requires a large platelet donor pool and does not guarantee full matching. We report the first randomized, double-blind, noninferiority, crossover trial comparing HLA epitope–matched (HEM) platelets with HLA standard antigen–matched (HSM) platelet transfusions. Alloimmunized, platelet-refractory, thrombocytopenic patients with aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, or acute myeloid leukemia were eligible. HEM platelets were selected using HLAMatchMaker epitope (specifically eplet) matching. Patients received up to 8 prophylactic HEM and HSM transfusions provided in random order. The primary outcome was 1-hour posttransfusion platelet count increment (PCI). Forty-nine patients were randomized at 14 UK hospitals. For intention to treat, numbers of evaluable transfusions were 107 and 112 for HEM and HSM methods, respectively. Unadjusted mean PCIs for HEM and HSM methods were 23.9 (standard deviation [SD], 15) and 23.5 (SD, 14.1), respectively (adjusted mean difference, −0.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], −2.9 to 2.8). Because the lower limit of the 95% CI was not greater than the predefined noninferiority limit, the HEM approach was declared noninferior to the HSM approach. There were no differences in secondary outcomes of platelet counts, transfusion requirements, and bleeding events. Adequate 1-hour PCI was more frequently observed, with a mean number of 3.2 epitope mismatches, compared with 5.5 epitope mismatches for inadequate 1-hour increments. For every additional epitope mismatch, the likelihood of an adequate PCI decreased by 15%. Epitope-matched platelets should be considered to support HLA alloimmunized patients. This trial was registered at www.isrctn.com as #ISRCTN23996532

Intrapleural use of tissue plasminogen activator and DNase in pleural infection

BACKGROUND: More than 30% of patients with pleural infection either die or require surgery. Drainage of infected fluid is key to successful treatment, but intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy did not improve outcomes in an earlier, large, randomized trial. METHODS: We conducted a blinded, 2-by-2 factorial trial in which 210 patients with pleural infection were randomly assigned to receive one of four study treatments for 3 days: double placebo, intrapleural tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and DNase, t-PA and placebo, or DNase and placebo. The primary outcome was the change in pleural opacity, measured as the percentage of the hemithorax occupied by effusion, on chest radiography on day 7 as compared with day 1. Secondary outcomes included referral for surgery, duration of hospital stay, and adverse events. RESULTS: The mean (±SD) change in pleural opacity was greater in the t-PA-DNase group thanin the placebo group (-29.5±23.3% vs. -17.2±19.6%; difference, -7.9%; 95% confidenceinterval [CI], -13.4 to -2.4; P = 0.005); the change observed with t-PA alone and with DNase alone (-17.2±24.3 and -14.7±16.4%, respectively) was not significantly differentfrom that observed with placebo. The frequency of surgical referral at 3 months was lower in the t-PA-DNase group than in the placebo group (2 of 48 patients [4%] vs. 8 of 51 patients [16%]; odds ratio for surgical referral, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.87; P = 0.03) but was greater in the DNase group (18 of 46 patients [39%]) than in the placebo group (odds ratio, 3.56; 95% CI, 1.30 to 9.75; P = 0.01). Combined t-PA-DNase therapy was associated with a reduction in the hospital stay, as compared with placebo (difference, -6.7 days; 95% CI, -12.0 to -1.9; P = 0.006); the hospital stay with either agent alone was not significantly different from that with placebo. The frequency of adverse events did not differ significantly among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Intrapleural t-PA-DNase therapy improved fluid drainage in patients with pleural infection and reduced the frequency of surgical referral and the duration of the hospital stay. Treatment with DNase alone or t-PA alone was ineffective. (Funded by an unrestricted educational grant to the University of Oxford from Roche UK and by others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN57454527.) Copyright © 2011 Massachusetts Medical Society

Global estimates and determinants of antituberculosis drug pharmacokinetics in children and adolescents: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.

BackgroundSuboptimal exposure to antituberculosis drugs has been associated with unfavourable treatment outcomes. We aimed to investigate estimates and determinants of first-line antituberculosis drug pharmacokinetics in children and adolescents at a global level.MethodsWe systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science (1990-2021) for pharmacokinetic studies of first-line antituberculosis drugs in children and adolescents. Individual patient data were obtained from authors of eligible studies. Summary estimates of total/extrapolated area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0-24) and peak plasma concentration (Cmax) were assessed with random-effects models, normalised with current WHO-recommended paediatric doses. Determinants of AUC0-24 and Cmax were assessed with linear mixed-effects models.ResultsOf 55 eligible studies, individual patient data were available for 39 (71%), including 1628 participants from 12 countries. Geometric means (95% CIs) of steady-state AUC0-24 were summarised for isoniazid (18.7 [15.5-22.6] h·mg·L-1), rifampicin (34.4 [29.4-40.3] h·mg·L-1), pyrazinamide (375.0 [339.9-413.7] h·mg·L-1), and ethambutol (8.0 [6.4-10.0] h·mg·L-1). Our multivariate models indicated that younger age (especially 0-24 for all antituberculosis drugs, while severe malnutrition was associated with lower AUC0-24 for isoniazid and pyrazinamide. N-acetyltransferase 2 rapid acetylators had lower isoniazid AUC0-24 and slow acetylators had higher isoniazid AUC0-24 than intermediate acetylators. Determinants of Cmax were generally similar to those for AUC0-24.ConclusionThis study provides the most comprehensive estimates of plasma exposures to first-line antituberculosis drugs in children and adolescents. Key determinants of drug exposures were identified. These may be relevant for population-specific dose adjustment or individualised therapeutic drug monitoring