Theranica’s Post

Our fifth MODCAST episode is on seeing into the future. Really. Earlier this year, researchers at Stanford Medical School and the March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center (PRC) at Stanford created a Machine Learning (ML) model to predict prematurity related newborn diseases weeks before they occur, and prior to birth. Their work, led by Dr. Nima Aghaeepour, a Stanford PRC researcher and associate professor of anesthesiology, perioperative and pain medicine and pediatrics at Stanford Medicine, was published in Science Translational Medicine. The paper outlines this scientific crystal ball of sorts. It was made possible using Electronic Medical Records (EMR) of pregnant Californian women and their babies - including information on the mother’s health and lifestyle before pregnancy, her pregnancy medical data, fetal ultrasound data and the baby’s blood work, weight and APGAR score at birth. Using that data, the model was able to accurately predict a variety of adverse outcomes, paving the way for a fundamental leap forward in early diagnosis and treatment of prematurity-related diseases. Just think: if we knew *before birth* a baby was at increased risk of a particular condition, we could take action during pregnancy to avoid the worst outcomes and even prevent the disease from happening in the first place. How’s that for futuristic? Listen now: https://lnkd.in/gsDjAkbG  

Cystic Fibrosis is the most common fatal genetic disease impacting children and young adults in Canada, causing severe damage to the lungs, digestive system, and other organs. There is no cure. As May is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, we’re resharing a story of hope to help raise awareness. Dr. Jonathan Rayment, an investigator at BCCHR and clinical assistant professor in the department of pediatrics at UBC, has made it his mission to develop better tools to quantify lung disease or lung health in children. Dr. Rayment and his team were the first in western North America to create innovative functional pulmonary magnetic resonance imaging (fpMRI) scans of human lungs. The technological advancement is huge. These scans show detailed lung function maps and can pinpoint specific areas of concern early on in the disease process. You can read the story at bcchr.info/3Aqbt4d BC Children's Hospital Foundation BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia #cysticfibrosis #CF #MRI #kidshealth #health #research #healthresearch

Assessment of #Pain in the #NICU Pain is a sensory modality associated with unpleasant sensations, both physically and emotionally. It encompasses elements of urgency and emergency, serving as a strong alert signal that compels us to respond to its causative situation. In neonates, the challenge is that infants cannot communicate their sensations except through crying, making the interpretation of their pain dependent on their caregivers. This issue becomes more complex in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where some infants may not even be able to express themselves through crying, leaving the assessment of their pain in the hands of "multiple" caregivers (Health Care Providers) throughout their hospitalization. Considering that a prematurely born infant typically undergoes 12-16 interventions per day, most without pharmacological intervention, and that pain can have significant consequences on the developing brain, it becomes clear that objective assessment and documentation of pain are imperative. However, current tools for pain measurement are limited, with pain scales being the most recommended method. In a publication in JAMA Pediatrics in 2019 (link in the comments), we attempted to document all these scales, proposing solutions appropriate for the targeted population and the constructs intended to be measured. Happy reading to all. #NICU #PAIN #JAMA #Premature #Opiates #GNPI #Neonatology

Ophthopedia Update:Pediatric and Adolescent Traumatic Macular Hole: A Systematic Review: The optimal management of pediatric traumatic macular holes (TMH) is unclear from lack of prospective randomized trials. The literature is divided into early (≤1month post-trauma), delayed (>1month) pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), and observation. Our aim is to find which group can achieve superior spectacle corrected visual acuity (VA), visual gain, and time for hole closure. #Ophthalmology #Ophthotwitter #Scicomm

🧩 BRAIN TEASER TIME 🧩 Hey there, puzzle enthusiasts! We've got a medical mystery for you today! 🏥 In a large healthcare organization, there are four departments: Cardiology, Neurology, Pediatrics, and Oncology. Each department is led by a doctor who specializes in that particular field. The four doctors are Dr. Smith, Dr. Johnson, Dr. Williams, and Dr. Brown. Here's what we know: 1️⃣ Dr. Johnson doesn't lead the department of Cardiology or Neurology. 2️⃣ Dr. Smith leads a department that sees patients who are younger than those in the Oncology department. 3️⃣ Dr. Williams is not associated with the Pediatrics or the Cardiology department. 4️⃣ Dr. Brown is the head of the Neurology department. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to determine which doctor leads which department. 🕵️♀️ Here's a hint to get you started: Start with the information you know for sure from the clues: Dr. Brown is the head of the Neurology department. Then, use the process of elimination to figure out which departments the other doctors can't lead. For example, since Dr. Johnson doesn't lead Cardiology or Neurology and Dr. Williams isn't associated with Pediatrics or Cardiology, what department could Dr. Johnson possibly lead? Put on your detective hats, and let's solve this mystery together! Drop your answers in the comments below and don't forget to share this post with your friends to see if they can crack the case! 🧠💡🔍 #BrainTeaser #PuzzleTime #MedicalMystery #ProblemSolving #DetectiveWork #MindGames #BrainExercise

🚨 Paper alert 🚨 I'm happy to share that our paper on primary neurodevelopmental processes and executive functions has been published! 📚 Title: Processing Speed Partially Mediates Executive Function Impairments in Adolescents with Congenital Heart Disease: Results from a Prospective Cohort Study 🔍 In the scope of the #Teenheart Study, we investigated the relationship and extent of primary neurodevelopmental processes and executive function difficulties in adolescents with complex congenital heart disease in Switzerland. 🌟 The paper has been published in the Journal of Pediatrics and can be downloaded here: https://lnkd.in/eNAi8Eb8 #executivefunctions #processingspeed #congenitalheartdisease #CHD Melanie Ehrler, Nadja Näf, Oliver Kretschmar, Valentin Rousson, Ruth O'Gorman, Flavia Wehrle, Bea Latal

💡 Don't Overlook This: Pediatric Stroke and Moya Moya Disease 💡 Stroke in children is rare, but when it happens, it’s crucial to identify the cause. As healthcare professionals, we might not always think of surgical options for children with neurological symptoms. But there's one condition that should always prompt us to consider a neurosurgical consult: Moya Moya disease. In pediatric stroke, 8 to 10 percent of cases are due to Moya Moya, a progressive condition where children face a high risk of recurrent strokes. Sadly, medical treatment alone won't work. 🍂The good news, Revascularization procedures can reduce the chances of further stroke to less than 5%. This surgical approach can be life-changing for these young patients. However, it's not uncommon to see pediatric stroke cases being treated with long-term blood thinners without proper evaluation. This can lead to unnecessary risks and delayed appropriate treatment. If you encounter a child with stroke symptoms, always consider the possibility of Moya Moya disease and contact your Neurosurgery colleagues. A simple procedure can make all the difference. Let's ensure our young patients get the best care possible. 🏥🔬 #PediatricStroke #MoyaMoyaDisease #Neurosurgery #PatientCare #ChildHealth

I'm excited to share our latest manuscript titled "A Scoping Review of the Mechanisms Underlying Anesthesia-Induced Neurotoxicity in Children", published in Anesthesia & Analgesia. Our study delves into the crucial topic of anesthesia's impact on the developing brain of pediatric patients. We consolidate evidence from a range of studies, including in vitro experiments and clinical trials, to provide a comprehensive understanding of anesthesia's effects. While the relief anesthesia provides during painful procedures is invaluable, our study sheds light on its potentially neurotoxic effects. As part of the community dedicated to improving care for our youngest and sickest patients, I'm immensely grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this important research. Check out our open access manuscript to learn more about our findings. #Anesthesia #PediatricCare #Neurotoxicity #Research #Publication #MedicalScience #NIH #NHLBI #CHLA #USC #USCKeck #Keck #USCViterbi #Viterbi #USCMann #Mann #USCRegsci #USCGraduateNeuroscienceProgram

Join us on February 27 for the very first webinar from the HTAi Rare Diseases Interest Group! Evaluating the value of rare disease technologies poses challenges due to factors like poor natural history, small populations, limited data, complexity, and high unmet needs. Challenges vary across the spectrum of ultra-rare to more prevalent diseases, with added complexities in different populations, such as pediatrics. This webinar aims to highlight these characteristics, elucidate their role in hindering evidence generation and value assessment, and discuss the resulting difficulties in obtaining approvals. The session will also outline the impact of these challenges and detail the strategies planned by the Rare Disease Interest group to address and overcome them. Learn more and register ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gq4vCRAe Elena Nicod Fleur Chandler Dan Ollendorf Karen Facey Sheela Upadhyaya #raredisease #HTA #HealthTechnologyAssessment #globalhealth

I am sharing with my network this first webinar that will be delivered by our #HTAiRareDiseaseInterestGroup, and will provide interesting insights on challenges in the rare disease technology value assessment caused by the #raredisease characteristics. Better understanding of this topic by the health decision makers could improve patient access to innovations #HTAi #raredisease #valueassessment #patientaccess #innovation