A virtual community of practice: An international educational series in pediatric neurocritical care

Pediatric neurocritical care (PNCC) is a rapidly growing field. Challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic on trainee exposure to educational opportunities involving direct patient care led to the creative solutions for virtual education supported by guiding organizations such as the Pediatric Neurocritical Care Research Group (PNCRG). Our objective is to describe the creation of an international, peer-reviewed, online PNCC educational series targeting medical trainees and faculty. More than 1600 members of departments such as pediatrics, pediatric critical care, and child neurology hailing from 75 countries across six continents have participated in this series over a 10-month period. We created an online educational channel in PNCC with over 2500 views to date and over 130 followers. This framework could serve as a roadmap for other institutions and specialties seeking to address the ongoing problems of textbook obsolescence relating to the rapid acceleration in knowledge acquisition, as well as those seeking to create new educational content that offers opportunities for an interactive, global audience. Through the creation of a virtual community of practice, we have created an international forum for pediatric healthcare providers to share and learn specialized expertise and best practices to advance global pediatric health

Reduction in overt and silent stroke recurrence rate following cerebral revascularization surgery in children with sickle cell disease and severe cerebral vasculopathy

Background Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) and moyamoya may benefit from indirect cerebral revascularization surgery in addition to chronic blood transfusion therapy for infarct prevention. We sought to compare overt and silent infarct recurrence rates in children with SCD undergoing revascularization. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of all children with SCD and moyamoya treated at two children’s hospitals. Clinical events and imaging studies were reviewed. Results Twenty-seven children with SCD and confirmed moyamoya receiving chronic transfusion therapy were identified, of whom 12 underwent indirect cerebral revascularization. Two subjects had post-operative transient ischemic attacks and another had a subarachnoid blood collection, none of which caused permanent consequences. Two subjects had surgical wound infections. Among these 12 children, the rate of overt and silent infarct recurrence decreased from 13.4 infarcts/100 patient-years before revascularization to 0 infarcts/100 patient-years after revascularization (p=0.0057); the post-revascularization infarct recurrence rate was also significantly lower than the overall infarct recurrence of 8.87 infarcts/100 patient-years in 15 children without cerebral revascularization (p=0.025). Conclusion The rate of overt and silent infarct recurrence was significantly lower following indirect cerebral revascularization. A prospective study of cerebral revascularization in children with SCD is needed

Cognitive dysfunction after analgesia and sedation: Out of the operating room and into the pediatric intensive care unit

In the midst of concerns for potential neurodevelopmental effects after surgical anesthesia, there is a growing awareness that children who require sedation during critical illness are susceptible to neurologic dysfunctions collectively termed pediatric post-intensive care syndrome, or PICS-p. In contrast to healthy children undergoing elective surgery, critically ill children are subject to inordinate neurologic stress or injury and need to be considered separately. Despite recognition of PICS-p, inconsistency in techniques and timing of post-discharge assessments continues to be a significant barrier to understanding the specific role of sedation in later cognitive dysfunction. Nonetheless, available pediatric studies that account for analgesia and sedation consistently identify sedative and opioid analgesic exposures as risk factors for both in-hospital delirium and post-discharge neurologic sequelae. Clinical observations are supported by animal models showing neuroinflammation, increased neuronal death, dysmyelination, and altered synaptic plasticity and neurotransmission. Additionally, intensive care sedation also contributes to sleep disruption, an important and overlooked variable during acute illness and post-discharge recovery. Because analgesia and sedation are potentially modifiable, understanding the underlying mechanisms could transform sedation strategies to improve outcomes. To move the needle on this, prospective clinical studies would benefit from cohesion with regard to datasets and core outcome assessments, including sleep quality. Analyses should also account for the wide range of diagnoses, heterogeneity of this population, and the dynamic nature of neurodevelopment in age cohorts. Much of the related preclinical evidence has been studied in comparatively brief anesthetic exposures in healthy animals during infancy and is not generalizable to critically ill children. Thus, complementary animal models that more accurately reverse translate critical illness paradigms and the effect of analgesia and sedation on neuropathology and functional outcomes are needed. This review explores the interactive role of sedatives and the neurologic vulnerability of critically ill children as it pertains to survivorship and functional outcomes, which is the next frontier in pediatric intensive care

Harnessing Neuroimaging Capability in Pediatric Stroke: Proceedings of the Stroke Imaging Laboratory for Children Workshop.

On June 5, 2015 the International Pediatric Stroke Study and the Stroke Imaging Laboratory for Children cohosted a unique workshop focused on developing neuroimaging research in pediatric stroke. Pediatric neurologists, neuroradiologists, interventional neuroradiologists, physicists, nurse practitioners, neuropsychologists, and imaging research scientists from around the world attended this one-day meeting. Our objectives were to (1) establish a group of experts to collaborate in advancing pediatric neuroimaging for stroke, (2) develop consensus clinical and research magnetic resonance imaging protocols for pediatric stroke patients, and (3) develop imaging-based research strategies in pediatric ischemic stroke. This article provides a summary of the meeting proceedings focusing on identified challenges and solutions and outcomes from the meeting. Further details on the workshop contents and outcomes are provided in three additional articles in the current issue of Pediatric Neurology

Behavioral and cognitive functioning in individuals with Cantu syndrome

Cantú syndrome (CS) is caused by pathogenic variants in ABCC9 and KCNJ8 encoding the regulatory and pore-forming subunits of ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP ) channels. CS is characterized by congenital hypertrichosis, distinctive facial features, peripheral edema, and cardiac and neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Behavioral and cognitive issues have been self-reported by some CS individuals, but results of formal standardized investigations have not been published. To assess the cognitive profile, social functioning, and psychiatric symptoms in a large group of CS subjects systematically in a cross-sectional manner, we invited 35 individuals (1-69 years) with confirmed ABCC9 variants and their relatives to complete various commonly applied standardized age-related questionnaires, including the Kaufman brief intelligence test 2, the social responsiveness scale-2, and the Achenbach system of empirically based assessment. The majority of CS individuals demonstrated average verbal and nonverbal intelligence compared to the general population. Fifteen percent of cases showed social functioning strongly associated with a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Both externalizing and internalizing problems were also present in this cohort. In particular, anxiety, anxiety or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum behaviors were predominantly observed in the younger subjects in the cohort (≥25%), but this percentage decreased markedly in adults

Harnessing Neuroimaging Capability in Pediatric Stroke: Proceedings of the Stroke Imaging Laboratory for Children Workshop.

On June 5, 2015 the International Pediatric Stroke Study and the Stroke Imaging Laboratory for Children cohosted a unique workshop focused on developing neuroimaging research in pediatric stroke. Pediatric neurologists, neuroradiologists, interventional neuroradiologists, physicists, nurse practitioners, neuropsychologists, and imaging research scientists from around the world attended this one-day meeting. Our objectives were to (1) establish a group of experts to collaborate in advancing pediatric neuroimaging for stroke, (2) develop consensus clinical and research magnetic resonance imaging protocols for pediatric stroke patients, and (3) develop imaging-based research strategies in pediatric ischemic stroke. This article provides a summary of the meeting proceedings focusing on identified challenges and solutions and outcomes from the meeting. Further details on the workshop contents and outcomes are provided in three additional articles in the current issue of Pediatric Neurology

Stroke in children with cardiac disease: report from the International Pediatric Stroke Study Group Symposium.

BackgroundCardiac disease is a leading cause of stroke in children, yet limited data support the current stroke prevention and treatment recommendations. A multidisciplinary panel of clinicians was convened in February 2014 by the International Pediatric Stroke Study group to identify knowledge gaps and prioritize clinical research efforts for children with cardiac disease and stroke.ResultsSignificant knowledge gaps exist, including a lack of data on stroke incidence, predictors, primary and secondary stroke prevention, hyperacute treatment, and outcome in children with cardiac disease. Commonly used diagnostic techniques including brain computed tomography and ultrasound have low rates of stroke detection, and diagnosis is frequently delayed. The challenges of research studies in this population include epidemiologic barriers to research such as small patient numbers, heterogeneity of cardiac disease, and coexistence of multiple risk factors. Based on stroke burden and study feasibility, studies involving mechanical circulatory support, single ventricle patients, early stroke detection strategies, and understanding secondary stroke risk factors and prevention are the highest research priorities over the next 5-10 years. The development of large-scale multicenter and multispecialty collaborative research is a critical next step. The designation of centers of expertise will assist in clinical care and research.ConclusionsThere is an urgent need for additional research to improve the quality of evidence in guideline recommendations for cardiogenic stroke in children. Although significant barriers to clinical research exist, multicenter and multispecialty collaboration is an important step toward advancing clinical care and research for children with cardiac disease and stroke