Behavioural disorders in children with pectus excavatum in China: a retrospective cohort study with propensity score matching and risk prediction model

A preliminary study on the normal values of the thoracic Haller index in children

OBJECTIVES

The Haller index (HI) is widely utilized as a quantitative indicator to assess the extent of the pectus excavatum (PE) deformity, which is the most common chest wall abnormality in children. Both preoperative correction planning and postoperative follow-up need to be based on the standard of normal thoracic growth and development. However, there is currently no established reference range for the HI in children. Consequently, the goal of this study was to conduct a preliminary investigation of normal HI values among children to understand thoracic developmental characteristics.

METHODS

Chest computed tomography images obtained from January 2012 to March 2022 were randomly selected from the imaging system of the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. We divided the images of children into a total of 19 groups: aged 0-3 months (1 group), 4-12 months (1 group) and 1 year to 17 years (17 groups), with 50 males and 50 females, totaling 100 children in each group. HI was measured in the plane where the lowest point of the anterior thoracic wall was located and statistically analysed using SPSS 26.0 software.

RESULTS

A total of 1900 patients were included in the study. Our results showed that HI, transverse diameter and anterior-posterior diameter were positively correlated with age (P < 0.05). Using age as the independent variable and HI as the dependent variable, the best-fit regression equations were HI-male = 2.047 * Age0.054(R2 = 0.276, P<0.0001) and HI-female = 2.045 * Age0.067(R2 = 0.398, P<0.0001). Males had significantly larger thoracic diameters than females, and there was little difference in the HI between the 2 sexes.

CONCLUSIONS

The HI rapidly increases during the neonatal period, slowly increases during infancy and stops increasing during puberty, with no significant differences between the sexes.

Single Incision non-thoracoscopic Nuss procedure for children with pectus excavatum: protocol for a multicenter, non-masked, randomized controlled trial

Background

Nuss procedure is the most common method of surgical treatment to pectus excavatum (PE). A significant percentage of surgeons choose to use thoracoscopic assistance during the Nuss procedure (TNP) to avoid cardiac injury. However, our previous findings confirm the safety of single incision Non-thoracoscopic Nuss Procedure (SINTNP). Hence, Further studies, particularly prospective randomized controlled trials, are necessary to assess the value of SINTNP for PE.

Methods

This study is a prospective, superiority, multicenter, non-masked, randomized controlled trial that investigates the outcome and hospitalization medical expense of SINTNP compared to TNP for PE. A total of 320 eligible patients according to sample size calculation by retrospective data will be randomly assigned to the SINTNP group or the TNP group at a 1:1 ratio using stratified blocked randomization and the zone length was set as four. Patients aged between 3 and 18 years old for the first surgery and without combination of complex anomalies such as Marfan syndrome and congenital heart disease will be considered for the study. The co-primary endpoint is thoracic related complications and medical expense during hospitalization. Thoracic related complications were defined as pneumothorax, pleural effusion, pneumonia and incision infection. The secondary endpoints include surgery duration and length of hospital stay.The registration number for this study protocol is ChiCTR230073081 (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, A Primary Registry of International Clinical Trial Registry Platform, World Health Organization).

Academic performance in children with pectus excavatum: a real-world research with propensity score matching

BACKGROUND

The optimal timing of surgery for pectus excavatum (PE) is controversial. A large proportion of children will not undergo surgery before puberty. However, untimely surgery may lead to a decline in the children's social adaptation and competitiveness because the children have already developed psychological and physiological impairments due to PE at an early age. The study retrospectively compared the academic performance in PE children undergoing the Nuss procedure versus nonsurgical observation.

METHODS

This retrospective real-world research study included 480 PE patients with definite surgical indications, in whom it was first recommended that they undergo surgery between the ages of 6 and 12 years old. Academic performance was collected at baseline and 6 years later. A generalized linear regression was calculated to screen the factors affecting the performance. A propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was conducted to reduce the potential for confounding factors between surgical and nonsurgical PE patients.

RESULTS

Haller index (HI) and pulmonary function were recognized as factors affecting baseline performance according to the generalized linear regression. For PE children with surgical indications, their academic performance significantly declined after 6 years of nonsurgical observation (52.1% ± 17.1% versus 58.3% ± 16.7%, p = 0.042). The academic performance in the surgery group was better than that in the nonsurgery group 6 years after PSM (60.7% ± 17.7% versus 52.1% ± 17.1%, p = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

The severity of PE will affect the academic performance of children.For PE children with definite surgical indications between the ages of 6 and 12 years old, surgical intervention rather than nonsurgical observation is more conducive to the development of children's academic performance.

The Safety and Efficacy of the Modified Single Incision Non-thoracoscopic Nuss Procedure for Children With Pectus Excavatum

BACKGROUND

This study described and evaluated the safety and efficacy of a modified single incision non-thoracoscopic Nuss procedure in pectus excavatum (PE) children.

METHODS

PE patients undergoing the non-thoracoscopic Nuss procedure at the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between January 2017 and December 2020 were retrospectively enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups according to operation procedures: the double incision Nuss (DN) group and the modified single incision Nuss (SN) group. Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied before evaluation of operative and postoperative characteristics to reduce selection bias.

RESULTS

Of the 502 patients included, 261 were enrolled in the DN group, and 241 in the SN group. The operation time [35.0 (30.0-40.0) vs. 50.0 (40.0-55.0) minutes, P < 0.001] and postoperative inpatient stay [7.0 (6.0-8.0) vs. 7.0 (7.0-8.0) days, P < 0.001] of the patients in the SN group after PSM were significantly shorter than those of the patients in the DN group after PSM. Moreover, median blood loss was significantly less in the SN group after PSM than that in the DN group after PSM [2.0 (1.0-5.0) vs. 5.0 (2.0-5.0) ml, P < 0.001]. There were no significant differences in the incidence of complications between the two groups (P > 0.05). Bar removal was performed in 85 patients in the SN group within 24-42 months after surgery. Additionally, the SN group patients had a significantly lower Haller index (HI) after bar removal [2.36 (2.15-2.55) vs. 3.76 (3.18-4.26), P < 0.001] compared to the initial HI.

CONCLUSIONS

The modified procedure is safe and effective for children with PE and is worthy of clinical application.