Jeffrey M. Gossett

The Association of Child and Household Food Insecurity With Childhood Overweight Status

CONTEXT. The prevalence of childhood overweight status is increasing. Some have suggested that childhood overweight is associated with food insecurity, defined as limited or uncertain access to enough nutritious food. OBJECTIVES. The purpose of this work was to assess the association of household and child food insecurity with childhood overweight status. METHODS. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2002 uses a stratified multistaged probability sample and collects a broad array of data from a nationally representative sample of US citizens. All children 3 to 17 years old in this sample are included in these analyses. We measured BMI categorized as at risk for overweight or greater (≥85%) or overweight (≥95%) and household and child food security/insecurity using the US Food Security Scale. RESULTS. When compared with children from food-secure households, children from food-insecure households were more likely to demonstrate significant associations with being at risk for overweight or greater in the following demographic categories: 12 to 17 years, girls, white, and in households with income <100% and >4 times the federal poverty level. Household food insecurity is associated with child overweight status in children aged 12 to 17, girls, and children who live in households with incomes >4 times the federal poverty level. Child food insecurity demonstrated the same associations with being at risk for overweight or greater, as did household food insecurity, but associations were also seen in 3- to 5-year-old children, boys, and Mexican American children. Child food insecurity is significantly associated with child overweight status for children aged 12 to 17, girls, white children, and children in families with income ≤100% poverty level. Controlling for ethnicity, gender, age, and family poverty index level, childhood food insecurity is associated with a child being at risk for overweight status or greater, but not overweight status. CONCLUSIONS. Household and child food insecurity are associated with being at risk for overweight and overweight status among many demographic categories of children. Child food insecurity is independently associated with being at risk for overweight status or greater while controlling for important demographic variables. Future longitudinal research is required to determine whether food insecurity is causally related to child overweight status.

Interactions of inflammatory pain and morphine in infant rats: Long-term behavioral effects

Neonatal rat pups exposed to repetitive acute pain show decreases in pain threshold and altered behavior during adulthood. A model using prolonged inflammatory pain in neonatal rats may have greater clinical relevance for investigating the long-term behavioral effects of neonatal pain in ex-preterm neonates. Neonatal rat pups were exposed to repeated formalin injections on postnatal (P) days 1-7 (P1-P7), with or without morphine pretreatment, and were compared with untreated controls. Behavioral testing during adulthood assessed pain thresholds using hot-plate (HP) and tail-flick (TF) tests, alcohol preference, and locomotor activity (baseline and postamphetamine). Adult rats exposed to neonatal inflammatory pain exhibited longer HP latencies than controls and male rats had longer HP thresholds compared to females. Male rats exposed to neonatal morphine alone exhibited longer TF latencies than controls. Both neonatal morphine treatment and neonatal inflammatory pain decreased ethanol preference, but their effects were not additive. During adulthood, male rats exposed to neonatal inflammatory pain exhibited less locomotor activity than untreated controls. We conclude that neonatal formalin and morphine treatment have specific patterns of long-term behavioral effects in adulthood, some of which are attenuated when the two treatments are combined.

20-Year Experience of Prolonged Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Critically Ill Children With Cardiac or Pulmonary Failure

BACKGROUND Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a rescue therapy for life-threatening respiratory or circulatory failure. Although outcomes are favorable with short-term ECMO therapy, data on the outcomes of prolonged ECMO therapy in children are very limited. This study aimed to study morbidity and mortality associated with prolonged ECMO therapy (≥28 days) in children with refractory cardiac or pulmonary failure. METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of all children≤18 years supported with ECMO for ≥28 days between January 1991 and September 2011 at the Arkansas Childrens Hospital. The data collected in our study included patient demographic information; diagnosis; indication for ECMO; ECMO support details; medical and surgical history; laboratory, microbiologic, and radiographic data; information on organ dysfunction; complications; and patient outcomes. The outcome variables evaluated in this report included survival to ECMO decannulation, survival to hospital discharge, and current survival with emphasis on neurologic, renal, pulmonary, and other end organ function. RESULTS During the study period, 984 events in 951 patients were supported with ECMO with a 30-day survival of 666 events (68%). Only 22 ECMO runs were ≥28 days and were eligible for inclusion in this report. The longest ECMO run in our series was 1,206 hours (50 days). The average length of ECMO run in this cohort was 855±133 hours, with a mean intensive care unit length of stay of 56±27 days. Ten patients (45%) were successfully decannulated from ECMO. Six patients (27%) were alive 30 days after decannulation, and only 4 patients (19%) survived to hospital discharge. Of the 4 survivors, only 3 patients (14%) are living to date. Of the 3 living children, 2 have significant neurologic issues with brain atrophy and developmental delay, and 1 is awaiting renal transplant; all 3 survivors have chronic lung disease. CONCLUSIONS This case series highlights that the prolonged use of ECMO in children with refractory cardiac failure, respiratory failure, or both is associated with low survival. Furthermore, it suggests that the survivors of prolonged ECMO runs have significant long-term sequelae.

Safety and efficacy of prolonged dexmedetomidine use in critically ill children with heart disease

Objectives: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of prolonged dexmedetomidine administration (≥96 hrs) in critically ill children with heart disease. Design: Retrospective observational study. Setting: Cardiovascular intensive care unit in a single, tertiary care, academic children’s hospital. Interventions: None. Subjects: We conducted a retrospective review of the charts of all critically ill infants and children (up to 18 yrs of age) with congenital or acquired heart disease who received dexmedetomidine for ≥96 hrs in our pediatric cardiovascular intensive care unit between January 2009 and March 2010. Patients were divided into two groups for study purposes: the dexmedetomidine group (n = 52) included patients who received a dexmedetomidine infusion along with other conventional sedation agents, and the control group (n = 42) included patients who received conventional sedation agents without the use of dexmedetomidine. Clinical outcomes evaluated in our study included days of mechanical ventilation, cardiovascular intensive care unit length of stay, hospital length of stay, and mortality. To evaluate the safety of dexmedetomidine, we collected physiologic data, including heart rate, mean arterial pressure, respiratory rate, systemic oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry, and inotrope score. To assess the efficacy of dexmedetomidine, we examined the amount and duration of concomitant sedation and analgesic infusions over a period of 24 hrs in both dexmedetomidine and control groups. We also examined the number of rescue boluses for each category prior to the initiation of sedative infusion, during the sedative infusion, and after the termination of the sedative infusion. The potential side effects evaluated in our study included nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, dysrhythmias, neurological abnormalities, seizures, and signs and symptoms of withdrawal. Measurements and Main Results: Patients’ baseline characteristics were similar in the two groups. Patient complexity as measured by Risk-Adjusted Classification for Congenital Heart Surgery-1 score, ventricular ejection fraction, and proportion of patients receiving mechanical ventilatory support at the time of initiation of sedative infusion was also similar. The duration and amount of continuous midazolam and morphine infusions were significantly lower in the dexmedetomidine group when compared to the control group. During dexmedetomidine infusion, there was no statistical difference in the heart rate and blood pressure between the two groups. Inotrope score was significantly lower in the dexmedetomidine group as compared to the control group in the last 6 hrs prior to termination of dexmedetomidine infusion (p < .001), and at 1 hr (p < .001) and 6 hrs (p < .001) after termination of dexmedetomidine infusion. There was no difference in duration of mechanical ventilation (p = .77), cardiovascular intensive care unit length of stay (p = .29), or hospital length of stay (p = .43) in the two groups. One patient experienced junctional rhythm at 130 beats/min requiring temporary pacing. No other significant side effects were noted. A higher proportion of patients in the dexmedetomidine group were administered clonidine when compared to the control group after termination of dexmedetomidine (31% vs. 7%, p = .005). Conclusions: Prolonged dexmedetomidine administration in children with heart disease appears to be safe and is associated with decreased opioid and benzodiazepine requirement and decreased inotropic support.

Household Food Insecurity and Obesity, Chronic Disease, and Chronic Disease Risk Factors

ABSTRACT Context. Studies examining the association between food insecurity and obesity in adults have produced conflicting results, and information is limited on the relationship between food insecurity and adult chronic health conditions, particularly in a high-risk population. Objective. To examine the association between household food insecurity and self-reported weight status and chronic disease in the Lower Mississippi Delta. Design. A two-stage stratified cluster sample representative of the population in 36 counties in the Lower Delta. Data were collected in a cross-sectional telephone survey using list assisted random digit dialing telephone methodology. Setting and Participants. A randomly selected sample of 1,457 adults from a free-living population. Main Outcome Measures. US Food Security Survey Module, self-reported height and weight status (obesity = body mass index > 30 kg/m2), and self-reported hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and a marker for metabolic syndrome. Results. In food-insecure adults, 42.3% were obese, a significantly higher rate than food secure adults (33.2%). After controlling for demographic variables, food insecurity was not independently associated with obesity. Income and the interaction between race and gender were significant predictors of obesity. Food insecure adults were significantly more likely to report hypertension (45.1% vs. 29.5%) diabetes (15.0% vs. 9.3%), heart disease (13.5% vs. 6.8%) and metabolic syndrome (10.1% vs. 4.4%). After controlling for demographic variables, food insecurity was associated with high cholesterol (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.65; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 1.0 to 2.7), heart disease (OR 2.7; 95% CI, 1.5 to 4.8), and metabolic syndrome (OR 2.8; 95% CI, 1.4 to 5.5). Conclusions. The relationship between food insecurity and obesity in a high-risk population, may be due to income and demographic variables. Individuals in a rural high-risk population with high cholesterol, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome have a high likelihood of being food-insecure. Nutritional interventions targeting high-risk populations should address food insecurity.

Comparison of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation and conventional mechanical ventilation in pediatric respiratory failure.

IMPORTANCE Outcomes associated with use of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) in children with acute respiratory failure have not been established. OBJECTIVE To compare the outcomes of HFOV with those of conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) in children with acute respiratory failure. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS We performed a retrospective, observational study using deidentified data obtained from all consecutive patients receiving mechanical ventilation aged 1 month to 18 years in the Virtual PICU System database from January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2011. The study population was divided into 2 groups: HFOV and CMV. The HFOV group was further divided into early and late HFOV. Propensity score matching was performed as a 1-to-1 match of HFOV and CMV patients. A similar matching process was performed for early HFOV and CMV patients. EXPOSURE High-frequency oscillatory ventilation. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Length of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, ICU mortality, and standardized mortality ratio (SMR). RESULTS A total of 9177 patients from 98 hospitals qualified for inclusion. Of these, 902 (9.8%) received HFOV, whereas 8275 (90.2%) received CMV. A total of 1764 patients were matched to compare HFOV and CMV, whereas 942 patients were matched to compare early HFOV and CMV. Length of mechanical ventilation (CMV vs HFOV: 14.6 vs 20.3 days, P < .001; CMV vs early HFOV: 14.6 vs 15.9 days, P < .001), ICU length of stay (19.1 vs 24.9 days, P < .001; 19.3 vs 19.5 days, P = .03), and mortality (8.4% vs 17.3%, P < .001; 8.3% vs 18.1%, P < .001) were significantly higher in HFOV and early HFOV patients compared with CMV patients. The SMR in the HFOV group was 2.00 (95% CI, 1.71-2.35) compared with an SMR in the CMV group of 0.85 (95% CI, 0.68-1.07). The SMR in the early HFOV group was 1.62 (95% CI, 1.31-2.01) compared with an SMR in the CMV group of 0.76 (95% CI, 0.62-1.16). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Application of HFOV and early HFOV compared with CMV in children with acute respiratory failure is associated with worse outcomes. The results of our study are similar to recently published studies in adults comparing these 2 modalities of ventilation for acute respiratory distress syndrome.

A Single-Center Experience of Extubation Failure in Infants Undergoing the Norwood Operation

BACKGROUND Identify incidence, etiology, and predictors of extubation failure in neonates and infants who underwent Norwood operation with either a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (mBTS) or a Sano shunt at a single tertiary care, academic childrens hospital. METHODS Extubation failure for our study was defined as reintubation within 96 hours after extubation. We collected demographics, preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative, and peri-extubation data in a retrospective, observational format in patients who underwent Norwood operation with either a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (mBTS) or a Sano shunt between January 2005 and March 2011. Clinical outcomes evaluated included the success or failure of extubation, cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, and mortality. Descriptive, univariate, and multivariate statistics were utilized to compare groups with extubation failure and extubation success. RESULTS Of 64 eligible patients during the study period, extubation failure occurred in 22% (14 of 64) of the patients. Eight patients failed extubation in the first 24 hours with an extubation failure rate of 12%. The median age of patients was 18 days (range 13.75 days to 22 days) and median weight of patients was 3.37 kg (range 3.11 kg to 3.86 kg). Twelve patients received a mBTS while 52 patients received a Sano shunt. All extubation failures occurred in patients receiving a Sano shunt. The most common risk factors for failed extubation were lung disease in 29% (4 of 14), cardiac dysfunction in 21% (3 of 14), diaphragmatic paralysis in 14% (2 of 14), airway edema in 14% (2 of 14), vocal cord paralysis in 14% (2 of 14), and laryngotracheomalacia in 7% (1 of 14). Patients with extubation failure had longer CICU LOS and hospital LOS. Overall mortality at the time of hospital discharge was 8%. Independent predictors of extubation failure included use of nitric oxide after surgery, increased days of mechanical ventilation prior to extubation, elevated inotrope score leaving the operating room, and presence of atelectasis prior to extubation. CONCLUSIONS Extubation failure in children after the Norwood operation is a slow and evolving process occurring as late as 96 hours after extubation and is not associated with an increase in in-hospital mortality. Causes of failed extubation are diverse. Successful weaning from positive pressure ventilation depends on adequate cardiovascular function, the presence of satisfactory ventilatory reserves, and favorable pulmonary mechanics.

Long-term outcomes of intraoperative pulmonary artery stent placement for congenital heart disease

Objective:Our objective was to examine long‐term outcomes of intraoperative pulmonary artery stents and determine risk factors for reintervention Background:Short‐term outcomes of intraoperative pulmonary artery stents have been reported previously. However, long‐term results are unknown. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent intraoperative pulmonary artery stent placement for branch pulmonary artery stenosis. Results: Ninety‐six stents were implanted intraoperatively in 67 patients. Twenty‐seven patients received two or more stents at initial intervention. Median patient age at initial stent placement was 1.8 years. Median post‐inflation diameter was 8 mm. At a mean follow‐up of 7.6 ± 4.5 years, 49% of stents required reintervention (balloon angioplasty at catheterization in 28 patients and surgical revision in 19 patients). Actuarial freedom from reintervention at 2, 5, and 10 years was 68%, 49%, and 40%, respectively. In univariate analysis of time to first reintervention, age at implantation < 2 yrs (P < 0.0009) and initial post‐inflation stent diameter < 10 mm (P < 0.0002) were associated with risk for reintervention. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed age < 2 years (P < 0.005) and diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot (p < 0.002) or truncus arteriosus (P < 0.007) to be significant risk factors for reintervention. Conclusion: Intraoperative placement of stents in the pulmonary arteries is an alternative to surgical angioplasty, but is associated with a high incidence of reintervention. Age < 2 years and the diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot or truncus arteriosus are risk factors for reintervention.

Food Shopping Perceptions, Behaviors, and Ability to Purchase Healthful Food Items in the Lower Mississippi Delta

OBJECTIVE To examine the agreement between perceptions, behaviors, and ability to purchase healthful food in the Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD). DESIGN A regional food store survey of healthful food options in supermarkets, small/medium stores, and convenience stores. Focus group discussions were conducted on shopping perceptions and behaviors. SETTING Counties in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. PARTICIPANTS Eighty-one LMD residents, 18-60+ years of age. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Perceptions of healthful food and ability to acquire these food items across store types. ANALYSIS Focus group data were analyzed using thematic coding. Summary food store statistics were weighted, and estimates were constructed using SUDAAN 9. Data triangulation was achieved by comparing focus group findings with food availability data. RESULTS A majority (> 85%) of supermarkets had selected vegetables, breads, and cereals perceived as healthful, whereas availability was limited in small to medium grocery stores and convenience stores. Skim milk, perceived as healthful, was limited in all store types. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Limited availability and perceived costs of healthful food in the LMD influenced purchasing behaviors. Attitudes and perceptions should be incorporated into intervention development to improve food choices in conjunction with increasing the availability of healthful food in the LMD.

Extubation failure in infants with shunt-dependent pulmonary blood flow and univentricular physiology.

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to identify incidence, aetiology, and outcomes of extubation failure in infants with shunt-dependent pulmonary blood flow at a single tertiary care, academic childrens hospital. The second objective of this study was to determine the haemodynamic effects of transition of positive pressure ventilation to spontaneous breathing in infants with extubation failure. PATIENTS AND METHODS Extubation failure for our study was defined as the need for positive pressure ventilation within 96 hours after extubation. We collected demographics, pre-operative, intra-operative, post-operative, and peri-extubation data in a retrospective, observational format in patients who underwent a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt between January, 2005 and March, 2011. Infants undergoing Norwood operation or Damus-Kaye-Stansel with modified Blalock-Taussig shunt were excluded from the study. The cardiorespiratory variables collected before extubation and immediately after extubation included heart rate, respiratory rate, mean arterial blood pressure, central venous pressures, near infrared spectroscopy, oxygen saturations, and lactate levels. Clinical outcomes evaluated included the success or failure of extubation, cardiovascular intensive care unit length of stay, hospital length of stay, and mortality. Descriptive and univariate statistics were utilised to compare groups with extubation failure and extubation success. RESULTS Of the 55 eligible patients during the study period, extubation failure occurred in 27% (15/55) of the patients. Of the 15 patients with extubation failure, 10 patients needed reintubation and five patients received continuous positive pressure ventilation without getting reintubated. There were three patients who had extubation failure in the first 2 hours after extubation, nine patients in the 2-24-hour period, and three patients in the 24-96-hour period. In all, eight patients were extubated in the second attempt after the first extubation failure, with a median duration of mechanical ventilation of 2 days (1 day, 6 days). The median age of patients at extubation was 19 days (12 days, 22 days) and median weight of patients was 3.6 kg (3.02 kg, 4.26 kg). In all, 38% (21/55) of the patients were intubated before surgery. The most common risk factors for failed extubation were lung disease in 46% (7/15), cardiac dysfunction in 26% (4/15), diaphragmatic paralysis in 13% (2/15), airway oedema in 6% (1/15), and vocal cord paralysis in 6% (1/15). The median duration of mechanical ventilation was 4 days (1 day, 10.5 days), median cardiovascular intensive care unit length of stay was 11 days (6.5 days, 23.5 days), and the median hospital length of stay was 30 days (14 days, 48 days). The overall mortality at the time of hospital discharge was 7%. CONCLUSIONS Extubation failure in infants with shunt-dependent pulmonary blood flow and univentricular physiology is high and aetiology is diverse. Cardiopulmonary effects of removal of positive pressure ventilation are more pronounced in children with extubation failure and include escalation in the need for oxygen requirement and increase in mean arterial blood pressure. The majority of extubation failures in this select patient population occurs in the first 24 hours. Extubation failure in these patients is not associated with increased hospital length of stay or mortality.