Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Parent and Family-Based Interventions for Children and Adolescents With Chronic Medical Conditions.


Law EF, Fisher E, Fales J, Noel M, Eccleston C. (2014) Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Parent and Family-Based Interventions for Children and Adolescents With Chronic Medical Conditions. Journal of Pediatric Psychology. 2014 May 30. pii: jsu032. [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To quantify the effects of parent- and family-based psychological therapies for youth with common chronic medical conditions on parent and family outcomes (primary aim) and child outcomes (secondary aim).

METHODS:

MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO were searched from inception to April 2013. 37 randomized controlled trials were included. Quality of the evidence was evaluated using GRADE criteria. Data were extracted on parent, family, and child outcomes.

RESULTS:

Pooled psychological therapies had a positive effect on parent behavior at post-treatment and follow-up; no significant improvement was observed for other outcome domains. Problem-solving therapy (PST) improved parent mental health and parent behavior at post-treatment and follow-up. There was insufficient evidence to evaluate cognitive-behavioral and systems therapies for many outcome domains.

CONCLUSIONS:

Parent- and family-based psychological therapies can improve parent outcomes, with PST emerging as particularly promising. Future research should incorporate consensus statements for outcomes assessment, multisite recruitment, and active comparator conditions.

 
 
PMID: 24881048

Spina bifida: a multidisciplinary perspective on a many-faceted condition.

Fieggen G, Fieggen K, Stewart C, Padayachy L, Lazarus J, Donald K, Dix-Peek S, Toefy Z, Figaji A. (2014) Spina bifida: a multidisciplinary perspective on a many-faceted condition.  South African Medical Journal. 2014 Mar;104(3):213-7.

Open spina bifida or myelomeningocele (SBM) is the most common birth defect involving the central nervous system, second only in incidence to congenital cardiac disease. Outcomes in this disorder were poor until the mid-20th century, when modern neurosurgical techniques (closing the lesion and treating hydrocephalus) and treatment for the neuropathic bladder addressed the major causes of mortality, although SBM may still be poorly treated in the developing world. Initial management - or mismanagement - has a profound impact on survival and long-term quality of life.

PMID: 24897828

Fetal surgery for myelomeningocele is effective: a critical look at the whys.


Meuli M, Moehrlen U. (2014) Fetal surgery for myelomeningocele is effective: a critical look at the whys Pediatric Surgery International. 2014 Jun 8. [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract

Formerly, the disastrous cluster of neurologic deficits and associated neurogenic problems in patients with myelomeningocele (MMC) was generally thought to solely result from the primary malformation, i.e., failure of neurulation. Today, however, there is no doubt that a dimensional additional pathogenic mechanism exists. Most likely, it contributes much more to loss of neurologic function than non-neurulation does. Today, there is a large body of compelling experimental and clinical evidence confirming that the exposed part of the non-neurulated spinal cord is progressively destroyed during gestation, particularly so in the third trimester. These considerations gave rise to the two-hit-pathogenesis of MMC with non-neurulation being the first and consecutive in utero acquired neural tissue destruction being the second hit. This novel pathophysiologic understanding has obviously triggered the question whether the serious and irreversible functional loss caused by the second hit could not be prevented or, at least, significantly alleviated by timely protecting the exposed spinal cord segments, i.e., by early in utero repair of the MMC lesion. Based on this intriguing hypothesis and the above-mentioned data, human fetal surgery for MMC was born in the late nineties of the last century and has made its way to become a novel standard of care, particularly after the so-called "MOMS Trial". This trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, has indisputably shown that overall, open prenatal repair is distinctly better than postnatal care alone. Finally, a number of important other topics deserve being mentioned, including the necessity to work on the up till now immature endoscopic fetal repair technique and the need for concentration of these extremely challenging cases to a small number of really qualified fetal surgery centers worldwide. In conclusion, despite the fact that in utero repair of MMC is not a complete cure and not free of risk for both mother and fetus, current data clearly demonstrate that open fetal-maternal surgery is to be recommended as novel standard of care when pregnancy is to be continued and when respective criteria for the intervention before birth are met. Undoubtedly, it is imperative to inform expecting mothers about the option of prenatal surgery once their fetus is diagnosed with open spina bifida.

PMID: 24908159