Zoya Surani

Sleep Habits of Elementary and Middle School Children in South Texas

Background. Sleep difficulties, including insufficient sleep and inadequate sleep hygiene, have been prevalent among children. Sleep deprivation can lead to poor grades, sleepiness, and moodiness. We undertook this study to assess the prevalence of sleep abnormalities among elementary and middle school students in South Texas and how the groups compare with one another. Method. After approval from the appropriate school district for a sleep education program, a baseline survey was taken of elementary and middle school students, using the Childrens Sleep Habit Questionnaire-Sleep Self-Report Form, which assessed the domains of bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, sleep anxiety, sleep duration, night awakening, and daytime sleepiness. Results. The survey was completed by 499 elementary and 1008 middle school children. Trouble sleeping was reported by 43% in elementary school, compared with 29% of middle school children. Fifty percent of middle school children did not like sleeping, compared with 26% in elementary school. Bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, and nighttime awakening were more common among elementary school students. Daytime sleepiness was more common among the middle school children when compared to elementary school children. Conclusions. Sleep abnormalities are present in elementary school children with changes in sleep habits into middle school.

Development and validation of a tool to assess knowledge of healthy lifestyles in early grade school children

ObjectiveHealthy habits during childhood has been of prime importance. We aimed to gather baseline information about health habits from children in kindergarten and first grade (typically ages 5–7). Our objectives were to validate the questionnaire in assessing health habits, as well as the electronic audience response system, iClicker (MPS, Gordonsville, VA), in this age group.ResultsThe questionnaire completed by 75 kindergarteners and 66 first graders. For the first graders, questions involving healthy choices were answered correctly 78% of the time (range 8–94%) and had 84% agreement on repeat testing (range 64–93%). Questions on diabetes were answered correctly 79% of the time (range 65–94%) and had 85% agreement on repeat testing. Crohnbach’s alpha was calculated to determine the reliability of the questionnaire: on the revised kindergarten questionnaire, this ranged from 0.79 to 0.81 on Day 1 and 0.84–0.97 on Day 5; for the first graders, this ranged 0.79–0.81 on Day 1 and 0.84–0.97 on Day 5. Both kindergarteners and first graders answered the simplest of the basic knowledge questions correctly > 80% of the time, with acceptable test–retest agreement. Additionally, these children demonstrated acceptable understanding of the use of the iClicker classroom response system.

Acute Fibrinous and Organizing Pneumonia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Patient: Female, 35 Final Diagnosis: Acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia Symptoms: Shortness of breath Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Video assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy Specialty: Pulmonology Objective: Unknown ethiology Background: Acute fibrinous organizing pneumonia (AFOP) is a rare condition of the lung that is associated with acute lung injury, and has a poor prognosis. AFOP is characterized histologically by intra-alveolar fibrin. AFOP has been described to be associated with lung infections, connective tissue disorders, drugs, toxic environmental exposure, and in lung transplantation. However, most cases of AFOP remain idiopathic, and because the condition can present with a wide variety of clinical manifestations, open lung biopsy or video-assisted thoracoscopic (VAT) lung biopsy is necessary for the diagnosis. Currently, treatments for AFOP remain under investigation. Case Report: A 35-year-old woman presented with a cough and dyspnea, and was initially diagnosed to have pneumonia. Due to the progression of her symptoms and increasing respiratory failure she underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic (VAT) biopsy and was diagnosed with AFOP, 19 days following hospital admission. She was treated with mechanical ventilation, intravenous steroids, and cyclophosphamide. She required tracheostomy after 14 days of mechanical ventilation and died two weeks later. Conclusions: AFOP is an uncommon clinical condition, with a poor prognosis, which often has a delay in diagnosis. Some patients benefit from steroids and immunosuppressive therapy. Currently, new treatments for AFOP are under investigation.

Delayed complication of abdominal aortic stent: a rare complication

We hereby present a case of recurrent abdominal aortic aneurysm due to endoleak to outline complications and secondary intervention strategies post endovascular aneurysm repair.