Jerilynn Radcliffe

Whole-brain irradiation and decline in intelligence: the influence of dose and age on IQ score.

PURPOSE Decline in intelligence can occur after whole-brain cranial irradiation for childhood malignancy. The purpose of this analysis was to estimate better the impact of dose and age at time of irradiation on IQ decline. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 48 children were studied. We combined two previously reported studies that included 15 patients with pediatric acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and 18 pediatric patients with medulloblastoma/posterior fossa primitive neural ectodermal tumors (PNETs) in whom serial IQ tests were administered. Another 15 patients (nine ALL and six PNET) were studied subsequent to these reports. This experience included ALL patients who were treated with whole-brain irradiation at doses of 18 Gy (n = 9) and 24 Gy (n = 15), and PNET patients who were treated with 18 Gy (n = 5), 22 to 24 Gy (n = 2), and 32 to 40 Gy (n = 17). Multiple regression models were constructed to estimate expected IQ score after treatment based on initial IQ score, age at treatment, and dose of whole-brain irradiation. RESULTS Using a multiple linear regression model to correct for initial IQ and age at treatment, patients who received a dose of 36 Gy to the whole brain were estimated to score 8.2 points less on IQ testing than those with 24 Gy (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8 to 14.6) and 12.3 points less than those who received 18 Gy (95% CI, 2.7 to 21.7). Older age at the time of irradiation resulted in less decline in subsequent IQ score. The predicted IQ decline is 11.9 points less in a 10-year-old patient than in a 3-year-old patient (95% CI, 4.2 to 19.6) for equivalent doses of irradiation. The model to predict IQ accounts for half the total variation in IQ score. There was no significant difference between the coefficients that reflected IQ decrease from radiation dose between subgroups who had ALL versus those with PNET. CONCLUSIONS One can forecast final IQ score based on the initial IQ score, dose of irradiation, and age at time of irradiation. Our findings should aid in the selection of appropriate therapy when whole-brain irradiation is needed.

Multiagent Chemotherapy and Deferred Radiotherapy in Infants With Malignant Brain Tumors: A Report From the Children’s Cancer Group

PURPOSE To evaluate response rate, event-free survival (EFS), and toxicity of two chemotherapeutic regimens for treatment of children younger than 36 months with malignant brain tumors and to estimate control intervals without irradiation in children with no residual tumor after initial surgery and induction chemotherapy and with delayed irradiation in patients with residual tumor or metastatic disease at diagnosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients were randomly assigned to one of two regimens of induction chemotherapy (vincristine, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide v vincristine, carboplatin, ifosfamide, and etoposide). Maintenance chemotherapy began after induction in children without progressive disease. Children with no residual tumors after induction therapy and no metastatic disease at diagnosis were not to receive radiation therapy unless their tumors progressed. RESULTS Two hundred ninety-nine infants were enrolled. Forty-two percent of patients responded to induction chemotherapy. At 5 years from study entry, the EFS rate was 27% +/- 3%, and the survival rate was 43% +/- 3%. There was no significant difference between the two arms in terms of response rate or EFS. For medulloblastoma, supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor, ependymoma, and rhabdoid tumors, 5-year EFS rates were 32% +/- 5%, 17% +/- 6%, and 32% +/- 6%, and 14% +/- 7%, respectively. Fifty-eight percent of patients who were alive 5 years after study entry had not received radiation therapy. CONCLUSION Intensified induction chemotherapy resulted in a high response rate of malignant brain tumors in infants. Survival was comparable to that of previous studies, and most patients who survived did not receive radiation therapy.

The Effect of Chelation Therapy with Succimer on Neuropsychological Development in Children Exposed to Lead

BACKGROUND Thousands of children, especially poor children living in deteriorated urban housing, are exposed to enough lead to produce cognitive impairment. It is not known whether treatment to reduce blood lead levels prevents or reduces such impairment. METHODS We enrolled 780 children with blood lead levels of 20 to 44 microg per deciliter (1.0 to 2.1 micromol per liter) in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of up to three 26-day courses of treatment with succimer, a lead chelator that is administered orally. The children lived in deteriorating inner-city housing and were 12 to 33 months of age at enrollment; 77 percent were black, and 5 percent were Hispanic. Follow-up included tests of cognitive, motor, behavioral, and neuropsychological function over a period of 36 months. RESULTS During the first six months of the trial, the mean blood lead level in the children given succimer was 4.5 microg per deciliter (0.2 micromol per liter) lower than the mean level in the children given placebo (95 percent confidence interval, 3.7 to 5.3 microg per deciliter [0.2 to 0.3 micromol per liter]). At 36 months of follow-up, the mean IQ score of children given succimer was 1 point lower than that of children given placebo, and the behavior of children given succimer was slightly worse as rated by a parent. However, the children given succimer scored slightly better on the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment, a battery of tests designed to measure neuropsychological deficits thought to interfere with learning. All these differences were small, and none were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Treatment with succimer lowered blood lead levels but did not improve scores on tests of cognition, behavior, or neuropsychological function in children with blood lead levels below 45 microg per deciliter. Since succimer is as effective as any lead chelator currently available, chelation therapy is not indicated for children with these blood lead levels.

Association Between a Single General Anesthesia Exposure Before Age 36 Months and Neurocognitive Outcomes in Later Childhood.

IMPORTANCE Exposure of young animals to commonly used anesthetics causes neurotoxicity including impaired neurocognitive function and abnormal behavior. The potential neurocognitive and behavioral effects of anesthesia exposure in young children are thus important to understand. OBJECTIVE To examine if a single anesthesia exposure in otherwise healthy young children was associated with impaired neurocognitive development and abnormal behavior in later childhood. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Sibling-matched cohort study conducted between May 2009 and April 2015 at 4 university-based US pediatric tertiary care hospitals. The study cohort included sibling pairs within 36 months in age and currently 8 to 15 years old. The exposed siblings were healthy at surgery/anesthesia. Neurocognitive and behavior outcomes were prospectively assessed with retrospectively documented anesthesia exposure data. EXPOSURES A single exposure to general anesthesia during inguinal hernia surgery in the exposed sibling and no anesthesia exposure in the unexposed sibling, before age 36 months. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was global cognitive function (IQ). Secondary outcomes included domain-specific neurocognitive functions and behavior. A detailed neuropsychological battery assessed IQ and domain-specific neurocognitive functions. Parents completed validated, standardized reports of behavior. RESULTS Among the 105 sibling pairs, the exposed siblings (mean age, 17.3 months at surgery/anesthesia; 9.5% female) and the unexposed siblings (44% female) had IQ testing at mean ages of 10.6 and 10.9 years, respectively. All exposed children received inhaled anesthetic agents, and anesthesia duration ranged from 20 to 240 minutes, with a median duration of 80 minutes. Mean IQ scores between exposed siblings (scores: full scale = 111; performance = 108; verbal = 111) and unexposed siblings (scores: full scale = 111; performance = 107; verbal = 111) were not statistically significantly different. Differences in mean IQ scores between sibling pairs were: full scale = -0.2 (95% CI, -2.6 to 2.9); performance = 0.5 (95% CI, -2.7 to 3.7); and verbal = -0.5 (95% CI, -3.2 to 2.2). No statistically significant differences in mean scores were found between sibling pairs in memory/learning, motor/processing speed, visuospatial function, attention, executive function, language, or behavior. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among healthy children with a single anesthesia exposure before age 36 months, compared with healthy siblings with no anesthesia exposure, there were no statistically significant differences in IQ scores in later childhood. Further study of repeated exposure, prolonged exposure, and vulnerable subgroups is needed.

Updated results of a pilot study of low dose craniospinal irradiation plus chemotherapy for children under five with cerebellar primitive neuroectodermal tumors (medulloblastoma)

PURPOSE Children under 5 years old with medulloblastoma (MB) have a poor prognosis. They are more susceptible to the deleterious effects of craniospinal irradiation (CSART) and have a higher relapse rate when treated with low-dose CSART alone. We, thus, embarked on a prospective trial testing the usefulness of very low dose CSART and adjuvant chemotherapy. This is an update of a previous report on these patients. METHODS AND MATERIALS Between January 1988 and March 1990, 10 patients with medulloblastoma were treated using 18 Gy radiation therapy (RT) to the craniospinal axis, a posterior fossa (PF) boost to 50.4-55.8 Gy and chemotherapy consisting of vincristine (VCR) weekly during RT. This was followed by VCR, cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP), and lomustine (CCNU) for eight, 6-week cycles. Patients between 18 and 60 months of age without evidence of tumor dissemination were eligible for study. Follow-up was available until September 1994 with a median follow-up for living patients of 6.3 years from diagnosis. RESULTS Actuarial survival at over 6 years is 70 +/- 20%. Three of the 10 patients relapsed and died. In one patient, the relapse developed in the spine and brain outside the posterior fossa, in the second, concurrently in the posterior fossa, brain and spine, and the third, only in the spine. One surviving child developed a brain stem infarct 4.8 years after diagnosis and has since almost fully recovered. A mean intelligence quotient (IQ) score of 103 in six patients surviving at least 1 year is unchanged from the baseline group score of 107. Five children tested at baseline and 2 years following treatment had IQ scores of 101 and 102, respectively. Six children tested at baseline and at 3 years had IQ scores of 106 and 96, respectively. Excluding the child tested shortly after his brain stem infarct, baseline and 3 year IQ scores were 103 and 97, respectively. Five of the seven long-term survivors grew at rates significantly below their expected velocities during the follow-up period, while the others grew normally. Three patients have received growth hormone, and none have required thyroid replacement. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that medulloblastoma patients can be cured with chemotherapy and reduced doses of craniospinal irradiation. The low doses of CSART given by us in conjunction with cis-platin-based chemotherapy produce minimal neurocognitive damage. Growth velocities in very young children so treated are, however, dramatically reduced. Better means of improving the therapeutic ratio are still needed.

Cognitive deficits in long-term survivors of childhood medulloblastoma and other noncortical tumors: age-dependent effects of whole brain radiation.

Twenty‐four children, aged 1.5–20 yr at diagnosis, with noncortical brain tumors, primarily medulloblastoma, have been followed for 3–4 yr for intellectual status. All the children received craniospinal irradiation, and 19 of 24 received chemotherapy as well. For the group as a whole, Full Scale IQ fell from 104 at baseline to 91 at final follow‐up. Children younger than 7 yr at diagnosis showed a significant decrease in IQ as early as year 1, and all changes from baseline to years 3 and 4 were significant. In contrast, children older than 7 yr at diagnosis did not show a significant IQ change from baseline to year 3 or 4. The Spearman correlation coefficient between IQ change and age at diagnosis from baseline to year 4 was 0.57 (P=0.003).

IQ and Blood Lead from 2 to 7 Years of Age: Are the Effects in Older Children the Residual of High Blood Lead Concentrations in 2-Year-Olds?

Increases in peak blood lead concentrations, which occur at 18–30 months of age in the United States, are thought to result in lower IQ scores at 4–6 years of age, when IQ becomes stable and measurable. Data from a prospective study conducted in Boston suggested that blood lead concentrations at 2 years of age were more predictive of cognitive deficits in older children than were later blood lead concentrations or blood lead concentrations measured concurrently with IQ. Therefore, cross-sectional associations between blood lead and IQ in school-age children have been widely interpreted as the residual effects of higher blood lead concentrations at an earlier age or the tendency of less intelligent children to ingest more leaded dust or paint chips, rather than as a causal relationship in older children. Here we analyze data from a clinical trial in which children were treated for elevated blood lead concentrations (20–44 μg/dL) at about 2 years of age and followed until 7 years of age with serial IQ tests and measurements of blood lead. We found that cross-sectional associations increased in strength as the children became older, whereas the relation between baseline blood lead and IQ attenuated. Peak blood lead level thus does not fully account for the observed association in older children between their lower blood lead concentrations and IQ. The effect of concurrent blood level on IQ may therefore be greater than currently believed.

The impact of perioperative factors on subsequent intelligence quotient deficits in children treated for medulloblastoma/posterior fossa primitive neuroectodermal tumors

Background. Despite success in treating children with medulloblastoma/posterior fossa primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PF PNET), some children survive with significant neurocognitive sequelae. This study was performed to understand better the significance of perioperative factors on subsequent full scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) deterioration in these children.

Stigma and Sexual Health Risk in HIV-Positive African American Young Men Who Have Sex with Men

Understanding the multiple forms of stigma experienced by young HIV-positive African American men who have sex with men and how they relate to sexual risk behaviors is essential to design effective HIV prevention programs. This study of 40 African American young MSM found that 90% of those surveyed experienced sexual minority stigma, 88% experienced HIV stigma, and 78% experienced dual stigma. Sexual minority stigma was characterized by experiences of social avoidance, and HIV stigma, by shame. Individuals with high HIV stigma were significantly more likely to engage in unprotected sex while high or intoxicated. Associations between stigma and sexual practices were examined; youth endorsing higher levels of sexual minority stigma engaged in less insertive anal intercourse. Individuals endorsing more HIV stigma reported more receptive anal intercourse. These findings support the development of stigma-informed secondary prevention interventions for African American HIV-positive young MSM.

Effects of Positive Airway Pressure Therapy on Neurobehavioral Outcomes in Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

RATIONALE Positive airway pressure therapy is frequently used to treat obstructive sleep apnea in children. However, it is not known whether positive airway pressure therapy results in improvements in the neurobehavioral abnormalities associated with childhood sleep apnea. OBJECTIVES We hypothesized that positive airway pressure therapy would be associated with improvements in attention, sleepiness, behavior, and quality of life, and that changes would be associated with therapy adherence. METHODS Neurobehavioral assessments were performed at baseline and after 3 months of positive airway pressure therapy in a heterogeneous group of 52 children and adolescents. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Adherence varied widely (mean use, 170 ± 145 [SD] minutes per night). Positive airway pressure therapy was associated with significant improvements in attention deficits (P < 0.001); sleepiness on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (P < 0.001); behavior (P < 0.001); and caregiver- (P = 0.005) and child- (P < 0.001) reported quality of life. There was a significant correlation between the decrease in Epworth Sleepiness Scale at 3 months and adherence (r = 0.411; P = 0.006), but not between other behavioral outcomes and adherence. Behavioral factors also improved in the subset of children with developmental delays. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that, despite suboptimal adherence use, there was significant improvement in neurobehavioral function in children after 3 months of positive airway pressure therapy, even in developmentally delayed children. The implications for improved family, social, and school function are substantial. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 00458406).