Participatory research in pediatrics

Haijes and van Thiel performed a systematic literature study to describe and assess the available knowledge on meaningful child participation in medical research. Overall, five groups of participatory methods for children could be distinguished: observational, verbal, written, visual, and active methods. Researchers conducting this type of research with children can use this systematic review to select the method best suited to the planned study. See Participatory methods in pediatric participatory research: a systematic review

Prediction of metabolic syndrome

Asghari and colleagues investigated the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and energy-dense, nutrient-poor, solid-snack consumption among children and adolescents aged 6–18 years. Logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, total energy intake, physical activity, dietary fiber, family history of diabetes, and body mass index (BMI), was used to assess the relationship between snacks and incident MetS. The findings show an impact of consumption of simple sugars, fructose, and fatty acids on the development of morbidity, independent of BMI. See Prediction of metabolic syndrome by a high intake of energy-dense nutrient-poor snacks in Iranian children and adolescents

Brain metabolites and cognition

The posterior cingulate region has an important role in cognitive function, but how this is affected by preterm birth is unknown. Cheong and colleagues compared brain metabolite ratios of neurons and cell membranes between 18-year-olds born extremely preterm and controls. In a regional cohort, these ratios were measured and correlated with tests of general intelligence, memory, and attention using linear or logistic regression. There appeared to be little evidence of developmental “catch-up” of brain metabolites in late adolescence. See Altered posterior cingulate brain metabolites and cognitive dysfunction in preterm adolescents

Propofol and the fetal lamb heart

Seehase and coinvestigators hypothesized that propofol administration could attenuate hypoxic myocardial injury after birth asphyxia. A total of 44 late-preterm lambs were subjected to either in utero umbilical cord occlusion, resulting in asphyxia and cardiac arrest, or sham treatment. After emergency cesarean delivery, each fetus was resuscitated, mechanically ventilated, and supported under anesthesia, using the same anesthetic as the one received by its mother. The use of propofol resulted in less oxidative stress and was associated with less cytoskeletal damage of the contractile apparatus compared with isoflurane anesthesia. See Propofol administration to the fetal–maternal unit reduces cardiac oxidative stress in preterm lambs subjected to prenatal asphyxia and cardiac arrest

Steroid effects on murine pulmonary vasculature

Perez and coauthors sought to determine the effects of hydrocortisone (HC) on pulmonary vascular development and phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) in a neonatal mouse model of hyperoxic lung injury. Newborn mice were placed in either 21% or 75% O2 and received either HC or vehicle. At 14 d, right ventricular hypertrophy, medial wall thickness, lung morphometry, and pulmonary artery PDE5 activity were assessed. The results showed that HC decreases hyperoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling and attenuates PDE5 activity. See Dose-dependent effects of glucocorticoids on pulmonary vascular development in a murine model of hyperoxic lung injury

MicroRNAs from dried blood spots

The potential of microRNAs (miRNAs) as bedside biomarkers in selecting newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy for neuroprotection has yet to be explored. Ponnusamy et al. demonstrate that it is feasible to extract miRNAs in newborns from a single 6-mm-diameter dried blood spot stored at room temperature; the miRNAs were of sufficient quality and in quantities significantly higher than in other common biosamples. See A study of microRNAs from dried blood spots in newborns after perinatal asphyxia: a simple and feasible biosampling method