Identifying methamphetamine exposure in children

OBJECTIVE

Methamphetamine (MAMP) use, distribution, and manufacture remain a serious public health and safety problem in the United States, and children environmentally exposed to MAMP face a myriad of developmental, social, and health risks, including severe abuse and neglect necessitating child protection involvement. It is recommended that drug-endangered children receive medical evaluation and care with documentation of overall physical and mental conditions and have urine drug testing. The primary aim of this study was to determine the best biological matrix to detect MAMP, amphetamine (AMP), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA) in environmentally exposed children.

METHODS

Ninety-one children, environmentally exposed to household MAMP intake, were medically evaluated at the Child and Adolescent Abuse Resource and Evaluation Diagnostic and Treatment Center at the University of California, Davis Children's Hospital. MAMP, AMP, MDMA, MDA, and MDEA were quantified in urine and oral fluid (OF) by gas chromatography mass spectrometry and in hair by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

Overall drug detection rates in OF, urine, and hair were 6.9%, 22.1%, and 77.8%, respectively. Seventy children (79%) tested positive for 1 or more drugs in 1 or more matrices. MAMP was the primary analyte detected in all 3 biological matrices. All positive OF (n = 5), and 18 of 19 positive urine specimens also had a positive hair test.

CONCLUSIONS

Hair analysis offered a more sensitive tool for identifying MAMP, AMP, and MDMA environmental exposure in children than urine or OF testing. A negative urine or hair test does not exclude the possibility of drug exposure, but hair testing provided the greatest sensitivity for identifying drug-exposed children.

Follow-up skeletal surveys for suspected non-accidental trauma: can a more limited survey be performed without compromising diagnostic information?

OBJECTIVE

Follow-up skeletal surveys have been shown to improve the rate of fracture detection in suspected cases of non-accidental trauma (NAT). As these studies are performed in a particularly radiosensitive population, it is important to evaluate if all of the (approximately 20) radiographs obtained at repeat skeletal survey are clinically useful. Our goal was to evaluate if certain radiographs can be excluded at follow-up skeletal survey without compromising the clinical efficacy.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 22 cases of suspected NAT (average age 3.8 months, range 0.7-15 months) in which patients received both initial and follow-up bone surveys. The follow-up survey was performed an average of 16.7 days (range 11-29 days) after the initial survey. Radiographs were reviewed by 2 pediatric radiologists, with discrepancies resolved by consensus. In addition, we combined our data with data from all known previously published reports of follow-up skeletal surveys for NAT for meta-analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 36 fractures were found on the initial bone survey in 16/22 patients (73%). Six patients had no fractures detected at initial survey. Follow-up bone surveys demonstrated an additional 3 fractures (2 extremities and 1 rib) in 3/22 cases (14%); 1 was in a patient whose initial survey was negative. No additional fractures in the skull, spine, pelvis, feet, or hands were detected in any case. In combination with patients reported in the literature (194 patients total) no new fracture of the skull, spine, pelvis, or hands was detected at follow-up survey. The skull, spine and pelvis radiographs are the highest dose-exposure studies of the skeletal survey.

CONCLUSION AND PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

If no injury is detected or suspected in the pelvis, spine, hands, or skull at initial bone survey for suspected NAT, a limited follow-up skeletal survey which excludes the pelvis, lateral spine, hands, and skull should be considered to limit radiation exposure without limiting diagnostic information.

Using telemedicine to improve the care delivered to sexually abused children in rural, underserved hospitals

OBJECTIVE

We used live telemedicine consultations to assist remote providers in the examination of sexually assaulted children presenting to rural, underserved hospitals. We hypothesized that telemedicine would increase the ability of the rural provider to perform a complete and accurate sexual assault examination.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Child abuse experts from a university children's hospital provided 24/7 live telemedicine consultations to clinicians at 2 rural, underserved hospitals. Consultations consisted of videoconferencing to assist in the examination and interpretation of findings during live examinations. Consecutive female patients <18 years of age presenting to the 2 participating hospitals were included. We developed and used an instrument to assess the quality of care and the interventions provided via telemedicine as it related to patient history, physical examination, colposcopic and manual manipulation techniques, interpretation of findings, and treatment plans for victims of child sexual abuse.

RESULTS

Data from 42 live telemedicine consultations were analyzed. The mean duration of the consultations was 71 minutes (range: 25-210 minutes). The consultations resulted in changes in interview methods (47%), the use of the multimethod examination technique (86%), and the use of adjunct techniques (40%). There were 9 acute sexual assault telemedicine consults that resulted in changes to the collection of forensic evidence (89%). Rankings of practitioners' skills and the telemedicine consult effectiveness were high, with the majority of cases scoring > or =5 on a 7-point Likert scale.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of telemedicine to assist in the examination of sexually assaulted children presenting to underserved, rural communities results in significant changes in the methods of examination and evidence collection. It is possible that this model of care results in increased quality of care and appropriate forensic evidence collection.

Comparison of computed tomography and chest radiography in the detection of rib fractures in abused infants

PURPOSE

Chest radiographs (CXR) are the standard method for evaluating rib fractures in abused infants. Computed tomography (CT) is a sensitive method to detect rib fractures. The purpose of this study was to compare CT and CXR in the evaluation of rib fractures in abused infants.

METHODS

This retrospective study included all 12 abused infants identified from 1999 to 2004 who had rib fractures and both CXR and CT (8 abdomen CTs, 4 chest CTs). CT exams had been performed for clinical indications, and were obtained within one day of the CXR. Studies were reviewed by two pediatric radiologists to determine the number, locations, and approximate ages of the rib fractures. A total of 225 ribs were completely (192) or partially (33) seen by CT, and the matched ribs on CXR were used for the analysis.

RESULTS

The mean patient age was 2.5 months (1.2-5.6), with seven females and five males. While 131 fractures were visualized by CT, only 79 were seen by CXR (p<.001). One patient had fractures only seen by CT. There were significantly (p<.05) more early subacute (24 vs. 4), subacute (47 vs. 26), and old fractures (4 vs. 0) seen by CT than by CXR. Anterior (42 vs. 11), anterolateral (21 vs. 12), posterolateral (9 vs. 3) and posterior (39 vs. 24) fractures were better seen by CT than by CXR (p<.01). Bilateral fractures were detected more often by CT (11) than by CXR (6).

CONCLUSIONS

While this study group is small, these findings suggest that CT is better than CXR in visualizing rib fractures in abused infants.

Findings in older children with abusive head injury: does shaken-child syndrome exist?

Shaken-baby syndrome (SBS) has been hypothesized to occur after shaking by an adult during the first 2 years of life. We wondered whether it is possible to achieve rotational forces sufficient to cause SBS-like injuries in children >2 years of age. The present study describes cases of child abuse in older children who presented with the classic ophthalmologic and intracranial findings of SBS. In this case series, 4 cases of older children (2.5-7 years old; 11.8-22 kg) who died from abusive head injuries and who had diffuse retinal hemorrhages identified antemortem were selected for review. The cases were abstracted from hospital charts, records from autopsies, coroners' and district attorneys' offices, and court transcripts. In all 4 cases the history provided by the primary caregiver did not match the severity of the injuries. Three case subjects presented with patterned bruises. Multilayered retinal hemorrhages and acute subdural hematoma were observed in all 4 cases. At autopsy, diffuse axonal injury was evident in 3 of the 4 cases; all 4 cases had optic nerve sheath hemorrhages. None of the victims had skeletal fractures on radiologic examination or at autopsy. This case series demonstrates that it is possible to observe SBS-like retinal and central nervous system findings in the older and heavier child. Our findings underscore the need for providers to consider intentional shaking as a mechanism of injury in the evaluation of abusive head injury in older children.