Effects of Loss and Gain Incentives on Adherence in Pediatric Weight Management: Preliminary Studies and Economic Evaluation of a Theoretical Trial

Pediatric weight management is often hampered by poor engagement and adherence. Incentives based on loss have been shown to be more effective than gain-based incentives in improving outcomes among children with health conditions other than obesity. In preparation for a clinical trial comparing loss-framed to gain-framed incentives, a survey of youth and caregiver attitudes on weight management incentives, reasons for program attendance, and an economic evaluation of a theoretical trial were conducted. Ninety of 835 (11%) surveys were completed by caregiver and child. The economic evaluation showed that loss-framed incentives had a preferable incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (a lower value is considered preferable) than gain-based incentives. Most youth and caregivers felt a gain incentive would be superior, agreed that the full incentive should go to the youth (vs. the caregiver), and identified "improving health" as a top reason for pursuing weight management.

Continuous Arrhythmia Monitoring in Pediatric and Adult Patients With Left Ventricular Noncompaction

Patients with left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) are at risk of clinically significant arrhythmias and sudden death. We evaluated whether implantable loop recorders could detect significant arrhythmias that might be missed in these patients during annual Holter monitoring. Selected pediatric and adult patients with LVNC who consented to implantable loop recorder placement were monitored for 3 years (study duration, 10 April 2014-9 December 2019). Fourteen subjects were included (age range, 6.5-36.4 yr; 8 males). Of 13 patients who remained after one device extrusion, one underwent implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement. Four patients (31%) had significant arrhythmias: atrial tachycardia (n=2), nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (n=1), and atrial fibrillation (n=1). All 4 events were clinically asymptomatic and not associated with left ventricular ejection fraction. In addition, a high frequency of benign arrhythmic patterns was detected. Implantable loop recorders enable continuous, long-term detection of important subclinical arrhythmias in selected patients who have LVNC. These devices may prove to be most valuable in patients who have LVNC and moderate or greater ventricular dysfunction.

Omega-3 Use for the Treatment of Hypertriglyceridemia, Low High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels, and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children with Obesity

Background: Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation has been investigated in treating elevated triglycerides (TGs), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) in adults, but has not been well studied in youth with obesity. This retrospective study examined the effectiveness of omega-3 as an adjunct therapy for these conditions in patients participating in a pediatric weight management program (PWMP). Methods: Patients with a BMI ≥85th percentile and abnormal alanine transaminase (ALT), TGs, or HDL, participating in our PWMP, were identified (n = 617). Patients prescribed an omega-3 were classified as treated (n = 68). Treated patients were matched (1:1) to untreated patients on the propensity for treatment. Generalized least squares regression was used to model the change in TGs, HDL, and ALT adjusted for baseline characteristics. Results: The treated (mean age 12.7 years, 60.3% male, TGs 218.7 mg/dL, ALT 49.6 U/L, HDL 34.9 mg/dL; 42.6% Hispanic, 72% severe obesity) and matched control patients showed improvement in point estimates in TGs (p = 0.62), HDL (p = 0.18), and ALT (p = 0.43) over follow-up, but the differences in change were not statistically significant. Greater improvement was observed for treated subjects over time in TGs (difference of 5% at 6.1-12 months; 10% at 12.1-18 months: 16% at 18.1-24 months) but was not statistically significant (p > 0.2). Conclusions: This study did not demonstrate that omega-3 therapy is of definitive benefit as an adjunct to lifestyle modification alone in children with obesity for hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL levels, or NAFLD. A randomized-controlled trial is required to determine the impact of omega-3 supplementation in treating these conditions in this population.

Prophylaxis against Frey's syndrome in parotid surgery

In 1990 the authors reported their preliminary study of the prevention of Frey's syndrome in 55 patients utilizing a superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) flap in parotid gland surgery. During the past 10 years, numerous studies have supported their original thesis that interposition of living tissue between the resected gland bed and the skin could prevent the development of this complication. The authors have expanded their own patient population and now consider this a definitive study on the prevention of Frey's syndrome. A total of 160 patients are presented with a follow-up period of 5 to 22 years. All patients underwent subtotal or total parotidectomy performed by one of the authors. A history was acquired and testing for Frey's syndrome (Minor's starch iodine test) was performed. As a result of this approach, and in spite of the intensive search for it, no cases of Frey's syndrome were encountered. The hoped-for secondary benefit of preventing the postparotidectomy retromandibular depression was somewhat less satisfactory, although most patients remain satisfied with their appearance. The debilitating symptoms in Frey's syndrome, which is reported to have an incidence of 5% to 50% in the typical parotidectomy patient, can be avoided with thoughtful preoperative planning. The authors favor an aesthetic incision followed by the development of an SMAS flap. The parotidectomy is then performed using the surgeon's preferred technique. The SMAS flap is then placed into the bed of the resected parotid gland. This institutes a protective tissue barrier guarding against the aberrant anastomotic communication between the postganglionic secretomotor fibers intended for the parotid gland, and the now adjacent sweat glands. Their patient population is large enough to provide significant evidence that Frey's syndrome can be prevented, compared with a meta-analysis of parotid patients in multiple other studies in the literature. Assuming the patient's history and pathology does not preclude its use, the SMAS flap should be considered the standard of care for preventing Frey's syndrome in the postparotidectomy patient. If the SMAS flap is not available, a temporoparietal fascial flap has proved to be a good alternative.

Modeling response to slow-releasing somatotropin administered at 3- or 4-week intervals

The purpose of this study was to develop a time-dependent model to account for the effects of recombinant bST in a slow-release formulation on short-term (between two consecutive injections) and long-term (baseline of the lactation curve) response of milk yield and composition. Observations on milk yield (n = 8234) and on milk composition (n = 1509) of 196 Holstein Friesian cows were recorded over 1 yr of trial. Treated cows were injected with somidobove at 3- or 4-wk intervals. Data were analyzed according to a model that included effect of treatment, parity, interaction, and the random effect of cow; two time-dependent covariables, obtained by the splitting of DIM, were included in the model to account for the effects of bST on short- and long-term responses of milk traits. Cyclical variations of milk yield, protein, and SCC content in the interval between two consecutive injections were detected. Recombinant bST administration also influenced the persistency of milk yield and protein content. Treatment of cows at 3- and 4-wk intervals increased yield by 20.6 and 12.6% over those of untreated cows. Nearly 60% of this increment was due to the short-term effect of bST. Milk composition response to bST was less noticeable.

Dysplastic and congenital nevi

The dysplastic nevus, both the sporadic and familial type, has a significant association with melanoma of the skin. The congenital nevus, which ranges in size from less than 1 cm to a giant hairy nevus, are treated primarily for aesthetic reasons and, in the giant variety, are also treated as a prophylaxis against the possibility of malignant change.

Effect of menstrual cycle phase and oral contraceptive use on serum lithium levels after a loading dose of lithium in normal women

Serum lithium levels were analyzed in six healthy, normal women during the midfollicular, midluteal, and premenstrual phases of their menstrual cycles after they had received 300 mg of lithium carbonate orally. An identical protocol was followed for seven women with artificial cycles induced by oral contraceptive steroids. Analysis of variance for repeated measures over time showed no significant differences between groups or between cycle phases. Therefore, hormonal effects of ovarian or contraceptive steroids per se do not appear to alter serum lithium concentrations. Other factors may account for changing lithium requirements during the menstrual cycle in some patients with affective illness.

Lasting response to ovariectomy in severe intractable premenstrual syndrome

A total of 14 women with severe premenstrual syndrome unresponsive to conservative medical therapy were treated with danazol in doses sufficient to suppress cyclic ovarian steroidogenesis. In each case medical ovarian suppression resulted in complete relief from symptoms. For ongoing symptom relief, each woman elected to undergo bilateral ovariectomy and concomitant hysterectomy. Both medical ovarian suppression and ovariectomy with low-dose conjugated estrogen therapy afforded lasting relief from cyclic symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and a corresponding improvement in overall quality of life. We conclude that cyclic ovarian steroidogenesis is a powerful determinant for the expression of premenstrual symptomatology. Ovariectomy with low-dose estrogen replacement is an effective alternative for the woman with debilitating premenstrual syndrome who does not respond to conventional interventions.

Lower lid blepharoplasty with skin flap and muscle split

A skin flap, muscle split lower eyelidplasty is recommended for the management of excess skin of the lower eyelids associated with herniated infraorbital fat pads. Precise fat pad removal and skin excision are necessary.

Malignant melanoma patients with positive nodes and relatively good prognoses: microstaging retains prognostic significance in clinical stage I melanoma patients with metastases to regional nodes

Fifteen variables were tested for their value in predicting recurrent disease in 46 clinical Stage I melanoma patients with metastases to regional nodes. A stepwise proportional hazards general linear model (Cox multivariate analysis) separated these melanoma patients with regional node metastases into at least two risk groups. Twenty patients in the relatively low-risk group had a five-year disease-free survival of 80% (in spite of having nodal metastases). This compares to a five-year disease-free survival of 17.5% for 26 patients in the high-risk group (P less than 0.001, Lee-Desu Statistic). Criteria for the high-risk group required that a patient have only one of the following two values: (1) The number of regional lymph nodes that contained tumor divided by the total number of nodes removed x 100% (percentage of positive nodes) greater than or equal to 20%; or (2) a primary tumor thickness of greater than 3.5 mm (regardless of node percentage). Conversely, patients in the low-risk group had neither of the above features. The high-risk group could further be stratified by the lymphocytic response at the base of the tumor. These findings have direct immediate application to the elective regional node dissection controversy and to adjuvant therapy studies containing these patients.