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Verfürden ML, Gilbert R, Lucas A, Jerrim J, Fewtrell M. Effect of nutritionally modified infant formula on academic performance: linkage of seven dormant randomised controlled trials to national education data. BMJ 2021; 375:e065805. [PMID: 34759005 PMCID: PMC8579423 DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2021-065805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare differences in academic performance between adolescents who were randomised in infancy to modified or standard infant formula. DESIGN Linkage of seven dormant randomised controlled trials to national education data. SETTING Five hospitals in England, 11 August 1993 to 29 October 2001, and schools in England, September 2002 to August 2016. PARTICIPANTS 1763 adolescents (425 born preterm, 299 born at term and small for gestational age, 1039 born at term) who took part in one of seven randomised controlled trials of infant formula in infancy. INTERVENTIONS Nutrient enriched versus standard term formula (two trials), long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) supplemented versus unsupplemented formula (two trials), high versus low iron follow-on formula (one trial), high versus low sn-2 palmitate formula (one trial), and nucleotide supplemented versus unsupplemented formula (one trial). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome, determined by linkage of trial data to school data, was the mean difference in standard deviation scores for mandated examinations in mathematics at age 16 years. Secondary outcomes included differences in standard deviation scores in English (16 and 11 years) and mathematics (11 years). Analysis was by intention to treat with multiple imputation for participants missing the primary outcome. RESULTS 1607 (91.2%) participants were linked to school records. No benefit was found for performance in mathematics examinations at age 16 years for any modified formula: nutrient enriched in preterm infants after discharge from hospital, standard deviation score 0.02 (95% confidence interval -0.22 to 0.27), and nutrient enriched in small for gestational age term infants -0.11 (-0.33 to 0.12); LCPUFA supplemented in preterm infants -0.19 (-0.46 to 0.08) and in term infants -0.14 (-0.36 to 0.08); iron follow-on formula in term infants -0.12 (-0.31 to 0.07); and sn-2 palmitate supplemented formula in term infants -0.09 (-0.37 to 0.19). Participants from the nucleotide trial were too young to have sat their General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations at the time of linkage to school data. Secondary outcomes did not differ for nutrient enriched, high iron, sn-2 palmitate, or nucleotide supplemented formulas, but at 11 years, preterm and term participants randomised to LCPUFA supplemented formula scored lower in English and mathematics. CONCLUSIONS Evidence from these randomised controlled trials indicated that the infant formula modifications did not promote long term cognitive benefit compared with standard infant formulas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ruth Gilbert
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Alan Lucas
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | | | - Mary Fewtrell
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
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Rakic M, Jaboyedoff M, Bachmann S, Berger C, Diezi M, do Canto P, Forrest CB, Frey U, Fuchs O, Gervaix A, Gluecksberg AS, Grotzer M, Heininger U, Kahlert CR, Kaiser D, Kopp MV, Lauener R, Neuhaus TJ, Paioni P, Posfay-Barbe K, Ramelli GP, Simeoni U, Simonetti G, Sokollik C, Spycher BD, Kuehni CE. Clinical data for paediatric research: the Swiss approach : Proceedings of the National Symposium in Bern, Switzerland, Dec 5-6, 2019. BMC Proc 2021; 15:19. [PMID: 34538238 PMCID: PMC8450032 DOI: 10.1186/s12919-021-00226-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Continuous improvement of health and healthcare system is hampered by inefficient processes of generating new evidence, particularly in the case of rare diseases and paediatrics. Currently, most evidence is generated through specific research projects, which typically require extra encounters with patients, are costly and entail long delays between the recognition of specific needs in healthcare and the generation of necessary evidence to address those needs. The Swiss Personalised Health Network (SPHN) aims to improve the use of data obtained during routine healthcare encounters by harmonizing data across Switzerland and facilitating accessibility for research. The project "Harmonising the collection of health-related data and biospecimens in paediatric hospitals throughout Switzerland (SwissPedData)" was an infrastructure development project funded by the SPHN, which aimed to identify and describe available data on child health in Switzerland and to agree on a standardised core dataset for electronic health records across all paediatric teaching hospitals. Here, we describe the results of a two-day symposium that aimed to summarise what had been achieved in the SwissPedData project, to put it in an international context, and to discuss the next steps for a sustainable future. The target audience included clinicians and researchers who produce and use health-related data on children in Switzerland. KEY HIGHLIGHTS The symposium consisted of state-of-the-art lectures from national and international keynote speakers, workshops and plenary discussions. This manuscript summarises the talks and discussions in four sections: (I) a description of the Swiss Personalized Health Network and the results of the SwissPedData project; (II) examples of similar initiatives from other countries; (III) an overview of existing health-related datasets and projects in Switzerland; and (IV) a summary of the lessons learned and future prospective from workshops and plenary discussions. IMPLICATIONS Streamlined processes linking initial collection of information during routine healthcare encounters, standardised recording of this information in electronic health records and fast accessibility for research are essential to accelerate research in child health and make it affordable. Ongoing projects prove that this is feasible in Switzerland and elsewhere. International collaboration is vital to success. The next steps include the implementation of the SwissPedData core dataset in the clinical information systems of Swiss hospitals, the use of this data to address priority research questions, and the acquisition of sustainable funding to support a slim central infrastructure and local support in each hospital. This will lay the foundation for a national paediatric learning health system in Switzerland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milenko Rakic
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Manon Jaboyedoff
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Service of Pediatrics, Department Women-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sara Bachmann
- University of Basel Children’s Hospital Basel (UKBB), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Berger
- University Children’s Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Diezi
- Service of Pediatrics, Department Women-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Urs Frey
- University of Basel Children’s Hospital Basel (UKBB), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Fuchs
- Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alain Gervaix
- Department of Woman, Child and Adolescent, Children’s Hospital, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Amalia Stefani Gluecksberg
- Paediatric Department of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland and Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Michael Grotzer
- University Children’s Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ulrich Heininger
- University of Basel Children’s Hospital Basel (UKBB), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Daniela Kaiser
- Children’s Hospital of Lucerne, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Matthias V. Kopp
- Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Roger Lauener
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Switzerland, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Thomas J. Neuhaus
- Children’s Hospital of Lucerne, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Paolo Paioni
- University Children’s Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Klara Posfay-Barbe
- Department of Woman, Child and Adolescent, Children’s Hospital, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Gian Paolo Ramelli
- Paediatric Department of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland and Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Umberto Simeoni
- Service of Pediatrics, Department Women-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Giacomo Simonetti
- Paediatric Department of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland and Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Christiane Sokollik
- Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ben D. Spycher
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Claudia E. Kuehni
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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