Non-radiologist-performed abdominal point-of-care ultrasonography in paediatrics — a scoping review

Background - Historically, US in the paediatric setting has mostly been the domain of radiologists. However, in the last decade, there has been an uptake of non-radiologist point-of-care US. Objective - To gain an overview of abdominal non-radiologist point-of-care US in paediatrics. Materials and methods - We conducted a scoping review regarding the uses of abdominal non-radiologist point-of-care US, quality of examinations and training, patient perspective, financial costs and legal consequences following the use of non-radiologist point-of-care US. We conducted an advanced search of the following databases: Medline, Embase and Web of Science Conference Proceedings. We included published original research studies describing abdominal non-radiologist point-of-care US in children. We limited studies to English-language articles from Western countries. Results - We found a total of 5,092 publications and selected 106 publications for inclusion: 39 studies and 51 case reports or case series on the state-of-art of abdominal non-radiologist point-of-care US, 14 on training of non-radiologists, and 1 each on possible harms following non-radiologist point-of-care US and patient satisfaction. According to included studies, non-radiologist point-of-care US is increasingly used, but no standardised training guidelines exist. We found no studies regarding the financial consequences of non-radiologist point-of-care US. Conclusion - This scoping review supports the further development of non-radiologist point-of-care US and underlines the need for consensus on who can do which examination after which level of training among US performers. More research is needed on training non-radiologists and on the costs-to-benefits of non-radiologist point-of-care US

Comparison of the Lipidomic Signature of Fatty Liver in Children and Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an increasingly common condition in children characterised by insulin resistance and altered lipid metabolism. Affected patients are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and children with NAFLD are likely to be at risk of premature cardiac events. Evaluation of the plasma lipid profile of children with NAFLD offers the opportunity to investigate these perturbations and understand how closely they mimic the changes seen in adults with cardiometabolic disease. METHODS: We performed untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) plasma lipidomics on 287 children: 19 lean controls, 146 from an obese cohort, and 122 NAFLD cases who had undergone liver biopsy. Associations between lipid species and liver histology were assessed using regression adjusted for age and sex. Results were then replicated using data from 9500 adults with metabolic phenotyping. RESULTS: More severe paediatric NAFLD was associated with lower levels of long chain, polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholines (pC) and triglycerides (TG). Similar trends in pC and TG chain length and saturation were seen in adults with hepatic steatosis; however, many of the specific lipids associated with NAFLD differed between children and adults. Five lipids replicated in adults (including PC(36:4)) have been directly linked to death and cardiometabolic disease, as well as indirectly via genetic variants. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that, whilst similar pathways of lipid metabolism are perturbed in paediatric NAFLD as in cardiometabolic disease in adults, the specific lipid signature in children is different.JPM is supported by a Wellcome Trust fellowship (216329/Z/19/Z), a European Society for Paediatric Research (ESPR) Young Investigator Award, and a Children’s Liver Disease Foundation Grant. EU-PNAFLD Registry is supported by a European Association for Study of the Liver (EASL) Registry Grant. MZ is supported by a New Investigator Research Grant from the MRC (MR/T001917/1). BK is supported by grants from Van den Broek Lohman Foundation, Virtutis Opus Foundation and For Wishdom Foundation. SF, SGS & AK are supported by the BBSRC (BB/M027252/1 & BB/P028195/1), BJJ & AK are supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR146281)

The natural history of primary sclerosing cholangitis in 781 children. A multicenter, international collaboration

There are limited data on the natural history of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in children. We aimed to describe the disease characteristics and long-term outcomes of pediatric PSC. We retrospectively collected all pediatric PSC cases from 36 participating institutions and conducted a survival analysis from the date of PSC diagnosis to dates of diagnosis of portal hypertensive or biliary complications, cholangiocarcinoma, liver transplantation, or death. We analyzed patients grouped by disease phenotype and laboratory studies at diagnosis to identify objective predictors of long-term outcome. We identified 781 patients, median age 12 years, with 4,277 person-years of follow-up; 33% with autoimmune hepatitis, 76% with inflammatory bowel disease, and 13% with small duct PSC. Portal hypertensive and biliary complications developed in 38% and 25%, respectively, after 10 years of disease. Once these complications developed, median survival with native liver was 2.8 and 3.5 years, respectively. Cholangiocarcinoma occurred in 1%. Overall event-free survival was 70% at 5 years and 53% at 10 years. Patient groups with the most elevated total bilirubin, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index at diagnosis had the worst outcomes. In multivariate analysis PSC-inflammatory bowel disease and small duct phenotypes were associated with favorable prognosis (hazard ratios 0.6, 95% confidence interval 0.5-0.9, and 0.7, 95% confidence interval 0.5-0.96, respectively). Age, gender, and autoimmune hepatitis overlap did not impact long-term outcome. CONCLUSION: PSC has a chronic, progressive course in children, and nearly half of patients develop an adverse liver outcome after 10 years of disease; elevations in bilirubin, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index at diagnosis can identify patients at highest risk; small duct PSC and PSC-inflammatory bowel disease are more favorable disease phenotypes

Choledochal Malformation in Children: Lessons Learned from a Dutch National Study

Introduction: A choledochal malformation (CM) is a rare entity, especially in the Western world. We aimed to determine the incidence of CM in the Netherlands and the outcome of surgery for CM in childhood. Methods: All pediatric patients who underwent a surgical procedure for type I–IV CM between 1989 and 2014 were entered into the Netherlands Study group on choledochal cyst/malformation. Patients with type V CM were excluded from the present analysis. Symptoms, surgical details, short-term (30 days) complications were studied retrospectively. Results: Between January 1989 and December 2014, 91 pediatric patients underwent surgery for CM at a median age of 2.1 years (0.0–17.7 years). All patients underwent resection of the extrahepatic biliary tree with restoration of the continuity via Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. Twelve patients (12%) were operated laparoscopically. Short-term complications, mainly biliary leakage and cholangitis, occurred in 20 patients (22%), without significant correlations with weight or age at surgery or surgical approach. Long-term postoperative complications were mainly cholangitis (13%) and anastomotic stricture (4%). Eight patients (9%) required radiological intervention or additional surgery. Surgery before 1 year of age (OR 9.3) and laparoscopic surgery (OR 4.4) were associated with more postoperative long-term complications. We did not observe biliary malignancies during treatment or follow-up. Conclusion: Surgery for CM carries a significant short- and long-term morbidity. Given the low incidence, we would suggest that (laparoscopic) hepatobiliary surgery for CM should be performed in specialized pediatric surgical centers with a wide experience in laparoscopy and hepatobiliary surgery

Why healthcare workers are sick of TB.

Dr Thato Mosidi never expected to be diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB), despite widely prevalent exposure and very limited infection control measures. The life-threatening diagnosis of primary extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) came as an even greater shock. The inconvenient truth is that, rather than being protected, Dr Mosidi and thousands of her healthcare colleagues are at an increased risk of TB and especially drug-resistant TB. In this viewpoint paper we debunk the widely held false belief that healthcare workers are somehow immune to TB disease (TB-proof) and explore some of the key factors contributing to the pervasive stigmatization and subsequent non-disclosure of occupational TB. Our front-line workers are some of the first to suffer the consequences of a progressively more resistant and fatal TB epidemic, and urgent interventions are needed to ensure the safety and continued availability of these precious healthcare resources. These include the rapid development and scale-up of improved diagnostic and treatment options, strengthened infection control measures, and focused interventions to tackle stigma and discrimination in all its forms. We call our colleagues to action to protect themselves and those they care for

Exome sequencing in patient-parent trios suggests new candidate genes for early-onset primary sclerosing cholangitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare bile duct disease strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Whole-exome sequencing (WES) has contributed to understanding the molecular basis of very early-onset IBD, but rare protein-altering genetic variants have not been identified for early-onset PSC. We performed WES in patients diagnosed with PSC METHODS In this multicentre study, WES was performed on 87 DNA samples from 29 patient-parent trios with early-onset PSC. We selected rare (minor allele frequency <2%) coding and splice-site variants that matched recessive (homozygous and compound heterozygous variants) and dominant (de novo) inheritance in the index patients. Variant pathogenicity was predicted by an in-house developed algorithm (GAVIN), and PSC-relevant variants were selected using gene expression data and gene function. RESULTS In 22 of 29 trios we identified at least 1 possibly pathogenic variant. We prioritized 36 genes, harbouring a total of 54 variants with predicted pathogenic effects. In 18 genes, we identified 36 compound heterozygous variants, whereas in the other 18 genes we identified 18 de novo variants. Twelve of 36 candidate risk genes are known to play a role in transmembrane transport, adaptive and innate immunity, and epithelial barrier function. CONCLUSIONS The 36 candidate genes for early-onset PSC need further verification in other patient cohorts and evaluation of gene function before a causal role can be attributed to its variants.Peer reviewe

Agents of change: The role of healthcare workers in the prevention of nosocomial and occupational tuberculosis.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) play a central role in global tuberculosis (TB) elimination efforts but their contributions are undermined by occupational TB. HCWs have higher rates of latent and active TB than the general population due to persistent occupational TB exposure, particularly in settings where there is a high prevalence of undiagnosed TB in healthcare facilities and TB infection control (TB-IC) programmes are absent or poorly implemented. Occupational health programmes in high TB burden settings are often weak or non-existent and thus data that record the extent of the increased risk of occupational TB globally are scarce. HCWs represent a limited resource in high TB burden settings and occupational TB can lead to workforce attrition. Stigma plays a role in delayed diagnosis, poor treatment outcomes and impaired well-being in HCWs who develop TB. Ensuring the prioritization and implementation of TB-IC interventions and occupational health programmes, which include robust monitoring and evaluation, is critical to reduce nosocomial TB transmission to patients and HCWs. The provision of preventive therapy for HCWs with latent TB infection (LTBI) can also prevent progression to active TB. Unlike other patient groups, HCWs are in a unique position to serve as agents of change to raise awareness, advocate for necessary resource allocation and implement TB-IC interventions, with appropriate support from dedicated TB-IC officers at the facility and national TB programme level. Students and community health workers (CHWs) must be engaged and involved in these efforts. Nosocomial TB transmission is an urgent public health problem and adopting rights-based approaches can be helpful. However, these efforts cannot succeed without increased political will, supportive legal frameworks and financial investments to support HCWs in efforts to decrease TB transmission

Why healthcare workers are sick of TB

Dr Thato Mosidi never expected to be diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB), despite widely prevalent exposure and very limited infection control measures. The life-threatening diagnosis of primary extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) came as an even greater shock. The inconvenient truth is that, rather than being protected, Dr Mosidi and thousands of her healthcare colleagues are at an increased risk of TB and especially drug-resistant TB. In this viewpoint paper we debunk the widely held false belief that healthcare workers are somehow immune to TB disease (TB-proof) and explore some of the key factors contributing to the pervasive stigmatization and subsequent non-disclosure of occupational TB. Our front-line workers are some of the first to suffer the consequences of a progressively more resistant and fatal TB epidemic, and urgent interventions are needed to ensure the safety and continued availability of these precious healthcare resources. These include the rapid development and scale-up of improved diagnostic and treatment options, strengthened infection control measures, and focused interventions to tackle stigma and discrimination in all its forms. We call our colleagues to action to protect themselves and those they care for

Recurrence of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis After Liver Transplant in Children : An International Observational Study

Background and Aims Recurrent primary sclerosing cholangitis (rPSC) following liver transplant (LT) has a negative impact on graft and patient survival; little is known about risk factors for rPSC or disease course in children. Approach and Results We retrospectively evaluated risk factors for rPSC in 140 children from the Pediatric PSC Consortium, a multicenter international registry. Recipients underwent LT for PSC and had >90 days of follow-up. The primary outcome, rPSC, was defined using Graziadei criteria. Median follow-up after LT was 3 years (interquartile range 1.1-6.1). rPSC occurred in 36 children, representing 10% and 27% of the subjects at 2 years and 5 years following LT, respectively. Subjects with rPSC were younger at LT (12.9 vs. 16.2 years), had faster progression from PSC diagnosis to LT (2.5 vs. 4.1 years), and had higher alanine aminotransferase (112 vs. 66 IU/L) at LT (all P < 0.01). Inflammatory bowel disease was more prevalent in the rPSC group (86% vs. 66%; P = 0.025). After LT, rPSC subjects had more episodes of biopsy-proved acute rejection (mean 3 vs. 1; P < 0.001), and higher prevalence of steroid-refractory rejection (41% vs. 20%; P = 0.04). In those with rPSC, 43% developed complications of portal hypertension, were relisted for LT, or died within 2 years of the diagnosis. Mortality was higher in the rPSC group (11.1% vs. 2.9%; P = 0.05). Conclusions The incidence of rPSC in this cohort was higher than previously reported, and was associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Patients with rPSC appeared to have a more aggressive, immune-reactive phenotype. These findings underscore the need to understand the immune mechanisms of rPSC, to lay the foundation for developing new therapies and improve outcomes in this challenging population.Peer reviewe

Assessing the Validity of Adult-derived Prognostic Models for Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Outcomes in Children

Background: Natural history models for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are derived from adult patient data, but have never been validated in children. It is unclear how accurate such models are for children with PSC. Methods: We utilized the pediatric PSC consortium database to assess the Revised Mayo Clinic, Amsterdam-Oxford, and Boberg models. We calculated the risk stratum and predicted survival for each patient within each model using patient data at PSC diagnosis, and compared it with observed survival. We evaluated model fit using the c-statistic. Results: Model fit was good at 1 year (c-statistics 0.93, 0.87, 0.82) and fair at 10 years (0.78, 0.75, 0.69) in the Mayo, Boberg, and Amsterdam-Oxford models, respectively. The Mayo model correctly classified most children as low risk, whereas the Amsterdam-Oxford model incorrectly classified most as high risk. All of the models underestimated survival of patients classified as high risk. Albumin, bilirubin, AST, and platelets were most associated with outcomes. Autoimmune hepatitis was more prevalent in higher risk groups, and over-weighting of AST in these patients accounted for the observed versus predicted survival discrepancy. Conclusions: All 3 models offered good short-term discrimination of outcomes but only fair long-term discrimination. None of the models account for the high prevalence of features of autoimmune hepatitis overlap in children and the associated elevated aminotransferases. A pediatric-specific model is needed. AST, bilirubin, albumin, and platelets will be important predictors, but must be weighted to account for the unique features of PSC in children.Peer reviewe